Chuck vs the Secrets
by KittyGoddess415
Summary: Season 3 AU! Follows from "vs. the Silence." Chuck has uploaded the new Intersect, and Bryce is dead. Yes, dead. What does that mean for our beloved cast? Angst, drama, adventure. UPDATED 2/16/10, last update -- HIATUS
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

**A.N**. Even after my grand retelling of Chuck vs. the Ring, they won't let me have him. :( So, I don't own Chuck. This was the epilogue to "vs. the Silence," but also needs inclusion in my Season 3 AU, so...refresh yourselves, and then hang on for Season 3!

Text in ( ) are thoughts.

* * *

**Chuck's POV**

"Guys..._I know kung fu._"(Holy crap.)

Casey looks at him with undisguised glee. "What else do you know, Chuck?"

Chuck pats down Miles and extracts the key to the cuffs. "I...I don't know, Casey," he distractedly answers as he releases them. "I really have no idea." (And I am trying very hard not to think about how disconcerting that is.)

He reflexively retrieves a discarded Glock, checks the clip, tightens the silencer, and plasters himself in the corner to cover the hallway as he exits the room. He hears Casey and Sarah join him and holds up a clenched fist. (We're not leaving without him.) Chuck enters a series of queries and commands into the wrist computer and motions the team forward. (That should confuse them.) "Sound analysis shows the Ring team's comm channel is scrambled radio stations when passive," Chuck says quietly. "I _un_scrambled them, which should mean the driver is listening to static from when all their heads hit the floor." He allows himself a small smile. "This was a skeleton crew op, too dangerous for too many to know about." (Or at least, I...think...?)

"Chuck, how do you know this?" Sarah whispers urgently.

"I...I don't know." (How the hell _do _I know?) "I don't know that I _actually _know, I think...I think it's probability, the Intersect seems to be doing game theory analysis and I'm just reporting on it." (And that's not scary at all. What the hell did I just get myself into?!) He looks down at his wrist with a sardonic smile. "But I _do _know there's only one person in the parking lot. That's courtesy of my dad." He shakes his wrist at Casey and Sarah for emphasis. (And let's just forget the rest of it for now.)

Chuck holds up three fingers, counting down. At zero, the three of them burst through the door, guns trained on the driver of the black SUV outside.

"Out," Chuck barks, whipping the door open. (You're lucky I'm not in imminent danger, or you'd be dead.) The driver assesses the situation -- Chuck at the door, Sarah covering the rear, and Casey in front.

(Oh, thinking you can just run us down?) "Try it," Chuck taunts. "See if you can start this gas-guzzling monster before he and I unload our entire clips into your moronic skull. I haven't had any gunplay in months, and him?" Chuck cocks his head towards Casey. "He hasn't gotten _laid _in that long, and he's a cold school killer on a _good _day." Chuck smiles, and the predatory gleam in his eyes must have been convincing. The driver lifts both hands to the back of his neck.

"That's what I thought," Chuck murmurs with satisfaction. "Sarah, secure our guest," he calls. (Because I know you don't need to be there when I open the trunk...) "Casey, with me," he says, nodding his head towards the trunk.

"Chuck, do you have cuffs?" Sarah asks sweetly.

(Ha, I can give you that satisfaction, at least...) He makes a production of emptying his pockets. "Gee, Sarah, I don't! How about you be creative?"

She smiles. "I think I can handle that."

(That's probably the last smile you see on a croc before it eats you.) "Casey, help me with this?" Chuck opens the trunk almost reverently and he and Casey pause somberly at the sight of the contents. (Damn. I knew it.)

"Out," Sarah repeats. The driver complies, keeping his hands behind his head and sliding down to stand. Sarah tilts her head thoughtfully, nods, and coldcocks him with her pistol. As the body drops to the ground, she smiles again, landing a solid kick to her prey's ribs. "That's better," she declares.

There are no other words, as Chuck and Casey carefully lift their burden and shift it to the van. He looks down at the cloth-covered shape for a lingering moment before closing the van doors. (I hope I did the right thing, Bryce...I really do.) He looks at Sarah then, as tears run silently down her face. His resolve hardens. (I know you didn't want me to, but, well, let's face it. You've underestimated me before. This time, I'm going to prove you wrong and make Sarah proud.)

(I have to.)

(There's no one else but me.)

***

**Orion's POV**

Orion watches the twinkling Christmas lights receding in his rear view and his heart clenches. (Charles, Eleanor, I'm so, so sorry. I hope you can make her understand somehow, Charles. I love you both more than you'll ever know, and I just can't stay. It's not safe. It's not even safe for Charles, but I'm going to be watching. Always.) His melancholy is cut short by an unexpected vibration from his encrypted PDA. (Charles?)

He pulls over, unwilling to chance the distraction. Shutting off the ignition, Orion blows out a breath and clicks over to his messaging program. (What the...) He recognizes the verification code and opens the attached video file as an unexpected voice fills the trailer.

"Hello, Orion. Bet you never figured I could reverse hack you. But being roommates with Chuck taught me a couple of things." Recorded-Bryce paused, looking away from the camera, and then back. "It taught me more than a couple. Like how to treat the people you care about. Orion, if you're seeing this, it means that my biometrics have gone flatline for longer than five minutes, and a series of recordings are now being sent from a secure computer off the grid. Yes, off the grid. I wish I could've told you while you were setting it up, but the new Intersect...it's more than a computer, it's a weapon, and a nearly sentient one at that. I've been after Fulcrum for a year now, and I have to tell you, what I've found is sickening, and what our government is willing to do is worse. You were right to tell Chuck not to trust anyone. Sarah, yeah, and maybe, just maybe, Casey too. But beyond that? I'm not sure. In fact, I'm so unsure I didn't put everything I learned in my reports to Beckman.

I promised you I'd protect Chuck. I've tried. But I don't know if that's even possible anymore. This is bigger than you or me or Fulcrum. To understand, you're going to have to trust me. There's this town, Moab, in Utah..."

***

**Anonymous POV**

A lone figure sat in the darkness, smiling a small smile. (Exactly according to plan.)

* * *

..._**End prologue**_.


	2. Let the games begin

**Chuck vs. the Secrets**

**A.N. **Welcome, my dear readers, to my Season 3 AU! I warn you, angst ahead. But hopefully you're interested enough to give it a chance. If you haven't read my season finale fic, "vs. the Silence", you may want to check it out -- it gives you an idea of my voice for the characters. And now, Chuck vs. the Secrets.

* * *

_Hi, I'm Chuck! Here are some things you might need to know, or maybe you might have forgot._

_I'm an unemployed Nerd Herd manager from the Buy More, who was thrown into the spy game by this guy, Bryce Larkin, former best friend, former nemesis...former person. Bryce is a victim of my newest nemesis. The Ring. We don't know much about them, we just found out they existed when they killed Bryce to get to this, the Intersect, version 2.0. The first Intersect was designed by my dad, codename Orion, stolen by Bryce, and sent to...me. It took a good two years to get it out, but well, fate had other plans for me._

_Bryce died, and I uploaded the new one before destroying it._

_Yeah, maybe not my brightest moment, but when someone tells you you're a hero often enough, you start to believe it, and act like it. And I did._

_He's impressed. That's Colonel John Casey, NSA. One of two handlers sent to guard me after the first Intersect upload._

_She's...well, that's the problem. That's Agent Sarah Walker, CIA. Bryce's ex, and quite possibly the unrequited love of my life. Fun times. She_'_s totally heartbroken over him. She's supposed to be heading up the Intersect Project, so I get to work with her every day...and be a constant reminder that Bryce didn't survive. _

_Don't you wanna be me?_

* * *

"Guys, _I know Kung Fu_."

The words hung over the three people riding in the van, shrouded in thick silence. No eye contact was made, no questions asked or answered. The bubble of unreality was almost comforting, and the alternative, too onerous to bear.

And so, utter silence. If they didn't break the fragile quiet, they could all pretend it wasn't real. Bryce wasn't dead, Chuck wasn't the Intersect again, and there wasn't a new group of corrupt spies to contend with.

"Sarah, I -"

"Chuck, don't!" she hissed. "Just...don't." Her voice was tight with unshed tears and barely contained rage. "I just...I can't."

_Damn it, _Chuck cursed himself. _Had to go open my mouth, didn't I. And now Sarah's even more upset than she started. Way to go, moron. _"Sorry," he whispered. He leaned his head back against the side of the van and closed his eyes. _I just want to try to make it better._

_**56.7 percent probability: second overture refused.**_

_**33.3 percent probability: verbal argument.**_

_**7.4 percent probability: physical and verbal argument.**_

_**2.6 percent probability: second overture accepted.**_

Chuck's eyes shot open and he shook his head briefly to clear it. _Holy crap, I think that was a flash...? _He looked over at Sarah, but found her sitting at the console, staring at Bryce's sheet-covered body. _Great idea, Chuck. Let's ride with the dead body of her ex, the one she was leaving with tomorrow. _He squeezed his eyes shut briefly against the headache building behind them. Opening them found no change in the tableau before him.

"Sarah," he said softly. "Sarah, go ride with Casey up front. I've got him."

She immediately shook her head, still not meeting his eyes. "I can't..."

Chuck moved slowly towards her, holding his hand out so she saw his intention. He grasped her hand gently and pulled her out of the seat. "Go," he said, and nudged her forward. With one last glance behind, she went, leaving Chuck to watch over Bryce.

Chuck sighed to himself. _Yeah, I don't know what you were thinking, Bryce, but that doesn't seem like someone who wanted to stay with me. _He glanced in the direction Sarah had exited. _Why would you say she was gonna stay? To make sure I destroyed it? Why would your last words be a lie? _The cynical part of Chuck's nature chimed in, _why wouldn't they? _Chuck frowned in displeasure at himself. _Bryce died a hero, leave the rest alone._

A vibration in his left pocket sent Chuck's head into the roof in surprise. He absently rubbed at the mop of crazy animal shapes on his head as he extracted the offending phone and unlocked it.

_Huh? _There was no voicemail, no missed call. But his phone had definitely buzzed. _Okay..._He scrolled to his text messages and found one new one, no name, no number, but the text drew him up short.

"The terrible troll raises his sword."

_Oh crap, here we go again..._

***

Sarah sat still as a statue in the passenger seat, her face turned towards the scenery but her thoughts a million miles beyond.

"Can't wait till the cleaners bring in Miles, I owe him a few dozen shots to the face." Casey eyed her cautiously, hoping his remark would break her out of her reverie. "Too bad they don't hold public executions anymore." _Come on, Walker! _Casey silently willed her back. _We're gonna have enough on our plates without you losing it. _"Walker!" he said sharply. Her head snapped back around to him.

He gentled his tone with effort. "Listen, I know this is a lot, okay? But the geek needs you now. He needs us both." He grimaced. "And we need him, much as it burns my ass to say it. We're gonna have to have something real good to tell Beckman. I need you with me, not off with your lady feelings."

"Sorry," she whispered, chastened.

_Aww, hell, _Casey thought with regret. "Listen, Walker, if I could do this alone, I -"

"Casey, I get it," she interrupted. "I just got lost for a minute. I'll be fine."

_It was more than a minute if Bartowski sent you up here, _Casey reflected. _But if that's the way you want it..._He issued Grunt #3, the 'whatever you say' grunt. Other than glancing his way suspiciously, Sarah gave no sign of recognition.

***

They finally pulled up to the loading dock at the Buy More. Sarah looked at Casey, the question in her eyes answered by his thumb towards the back of the van. "It's...easier to get..."

Sarah closed her eyes and shook her head. "I get it, Casey. Lost focus for a minute." She unbuckled her belt and climbed out, grateful for the darkness. She closed the door and leaned back against it, eyes closed. _Goddamn it, Bryce. Goddamn it. _She heard the side door open and shut, knew Chuck had exited the van by the briefest puff of breath near her cheek.

Without opening her eyes, she sighed, "I still can't talk about it, Chuck." She opened her eyes to find herself completely alone, Chuck's silhouette almost completely swallowed by the shadows of the Orange Orange.

_Huh? He didn't even try to talk to me? _Sarah frowned in confusion.

"He just took off as soon as he got out," Casey volunteered as he walked around from the back of the van. "Don't think he heard you."

Sarah swallowed as an uneasy dread grew in her stomach.

***

"Mr. Bartowski, what are you doing on a s_ecured channel _at," she paused to glance at the clock, "12:47 AM? Did you or did you not state your plans were to attend your sister's wedding and have no further involvement with the government?"

"General, that was my intention, unfortunately that did not work out the way I'd planned."

Beckman held up a finger as she turned to her computer screen. Upon reading, her perpetual scowl only grew deeper. "Mr. Bartowski. If this intel is correct..."

"Yes, General. At approximately 2337, I encountered Agent Larkin, fatally wounded, and uploaded the Intersect before destroying same. Infiltration by enemy personnel had already occurred in the outer perimeters of the Intersect Location, and was imminent in the Intersect Vault. I - I activated a failsafe my father had discussed with me and overloaded the system, resulting in its destruction." Chuck stood at military attention as he reported, meeting her gaze directly. His right hand rested on his pocket, weighed down by the mangled and bloody card Bryce had given him. _I somehow have the feeling he wasn't supposed to destroy the thing..._

"Mr. Bartowski, what are you proposing we do now? You have destroyed billions of dollars and millions of hours of manpower based on your belief infiltration was imminent. Surely you don't expect me to believe Fulcrum regrouped so quickly."

_She doesn't know? Bryce didn't tell her that either? Crap. _"No, General, I don't. This was not a Fulcrum team. This was perpetrated by an organization which calls itself 'The Ring', purported to be a group of spies, of which Fulcrum was only one arm."

Beckman's expression stayed steady, only cocking a brow as Sarah and Casey joined him in Castle. "Nice of you to join us, Agent, Colonel. Mr. Bartowski has been...quite busy, it seems. Dare I ask where you two were?"

Sarah opened her mouth to answer, while Casey snapped to attention and stared stoically ahead.

"It was my fault, General," Chuck interjected. "Agent Walker and Colonel Casey both instructed me to get help. They did not specify that I needed to leave the vicinity to do so. I was able to -" Chuck reached for his shirtsleeve, and noticed for the first time that his arms felt abnormally heavy. He raised his right arm with effort, pulling back the sleeve to reveal Orion's computer. "I was able to utilize Orion's wrist unit to simultaneously signal for the cleaners and to access the schematic of the facility, thus leading me to the Intersect Vault."

"Chuck!" Sarah hissed.

_Huh? _Chuck turned to look at her but Beckman's voice drew him back.

"Mr. Bartowski! Am I to understand, then, that the layout of our top secret, off the grid, Intersect facility is somehow _known_ to you?"

"I, uh...I, uh..." Chuck stammered. He swallowed. "Yes?"

She harumphed in displeasure. "Should have known Orion doesn't trust us," she muttered half to herself.

Chuck opened his mouth to respond but Beckman waved him off. "It may prove useful. I trust you can handle that contraption?" She waved her hand in the general direction of the wrist unit. At Chuck's nod, she continued. "Good. Colonel Casey, report."

As Casey began to speak, Chuck tuned him out. _Is she okay?_ Chuck looked at her from the corner of his eye. When they'd entered the room they almost automatically moved to flank him. Sarah stood stoically to his left, not moving a muscle, and studiously not looking at him. _Is there any way Beckman won't demand her report? _Chuck wondered. He tuned back into Casey's recitation.

"...at which point Mr. Bartowski incapacitated five enemy agents. He then released us, we retrieved Agent Larkin from the Ring transport, secured its driver, and returned to Castle."

_Don't ask, don't ask, don't ask... _Chuck repeated it in his head like a mantra, willing Beckman to be human for a brief moment.

"Agent Walker, do you have anything to add?" Her voice was as gentle as Chuck had ever heard it.

"No, General. Colonel Casey's report is consistent with my own. I would just add that Mr. Bartowski performed admirably in a trying situation, voluntarily placing himself in harm's way for the sake of his country. If there is anyone who can be trusted with the Intersect, it is Mr. Bartowski."

"I pray that you are right, Agent Walker. Are you prepared to assume control of the Intersect Project? I will understand if you are not," Beckman offered. "Colonel Casey can assume control temporarily, especially now that it is again Mr. Bartowski."

_Say no, say no, say no…_Once again Chuck cast his thoughts in her direction, hoping this time he would get what he wanted.

"Yes, General, I'm ready. I think now more than ever it's crucial to begin with a full team. Thank you for your offer, but we should begin training Mr. Bartowski immediately."

"Training?" Chuck asked. _What did I get myself into?_

"Yes, training. It's crucial that you learn the parameters of the new Intersect, and test how it works in a combat situation." She turned to face him. "Especially now that we know that Fulcrum was part of a larger organization, there's no time to waste. You'll have to be fully trained. And as soon as possible." Her face was resolute, cold as an Arctic breeze.

_Sarah…_He looked at her mournfully. All he said aloud was, "All right."

His heart broke just a little more as he sadly realized, _You_'_ve never called me Mr. Bartowski before._

* * *

**A.N. **Geez, angsty much? LOL. I can't help it, seems like it's going to be a long and bumpy road for our Charah. Stick with me? Let me know what you think? :)


	3. The Aftermath

**Chapter 2: The Aftermath**

**Disclaimer: **Still don't own Chuck, but boy do I have ideas on what to do with him if I did...Hey! Mind out of the gutter!

**Additional disclaimer: With sincerest apologies to the truly Awesome fic writers on here, I have not been reading anyone else's Season 3 AU as I'm working on my own, so any similarities between my Intersect 2.0 and other authors' is simply a result of great minds thinking alike. ;) I have a bunch of Season 3 notes I've been working on while I was writing "vs. the Silence." Apologies!**

**A.N**.: Thanks to all the reviewers of the beginning of this sucker, hope I continue to entertain you! I've got so many ideas it's hard to weed through, so feedback is always welcome. :)

* * *

"Well, I think it's clear we have a lot of work to do, Mr. Bartowski. Get a good night's rest. It may be the last you get for a while." Without even the negligible formality of asking for questions, Beckman signed off.

_And silence. Big empty silence. _Chuck looked forlornly after Sarah as she turned and left Castle. _Ow! What the - _He rubbed at his arm, turning an aggrieved look on Casey.

"What the hell were you thinking, moron? You don't brief the General! You don't even call her!" Casey's face was a thundercloud, and Chuck summoned a half-hearted smile.

"You _do_ care, Casey!" Chuck teased. _You do, I know you do._

Casey growled in response. "About my _job_, numbskull, of which there would be none if the General ordered your termination!" _Again. _"You could've gotten yourself killed if you said the wrong thing." _And how the hell did you manage _not_ to?_

The piercing look in Casey's eyes amused Chuck. _Wouldn't you love to know. But I can't miss the chance to surprise you either. _Chuck gave a half-smirk as he answered, "First, you've been ordered to kill me before, and the fact that you didn't warms my heart." As Casey sputtered, Chuck added, "Second, and more significant to you, anyway," he tapped his temple, "the Intersect now includes strategy, probabilities, and other tactics. It helped."

_This is getting more interesting by the second. _Casey narrowed his eyes at Chuck. "Are you telling me you were flashing that whole time?" _And from what I remember…_He snorted as he added, "Considering you weren't twitching like a spastic sandworm, I find that hard to believe."

Chuck rolled his eyes. _Spastic sandworm? Nice one, Casey, and also tells me you have me under surveillance even when Sarah's with me. Sarah. What the hell do I do about -_

Casey saw Chuck's eyes go unfocused. _Aww, crap – _this _looks like a flash…_"Bartowski!" His face was an inch from Chuck's, fingers snapping dangerously close to Chuck's nose. "You with me?"

_Well, at least I know I can still daydream. _Chuck shook his head, "Uh, sorry, yeah. And no, the answer is no."

Casey only shook his head and raised his eyebrows. "I'm sorry, _what_?" _Did the Intersect overwrite your English? _Casey's expression was almost amused.

Chuck stared at Casey, perplexed. _Casey, friendly? And Sarah, running away? I must just be in the Twilight Zone. That would solve so much..._

"Yo, moron!"

_And _that's _the Casey I know. _Chuck snapped out of his thoughts with a smile. "Sorry, you being anything other than your cuddly self throws me off." Seeing the familiar look of impending death in Casey's eyes, Chuck rushed on, "It wasn't like a flash, it was...it was more like the scrolling news bar things on TV. A running tally of what I should say and what I shouldn't. It's...weird."

"You gonna tell the General about that?"

Chuck raised an eyebrow. _I have a choice? _"Well, maybe I'll let her be impressed tonight."

Casey nodded. "Might not hurt." _And even though I'll never say it, you deserve to have her be impressed._

Chuck smiled. _Me and Casey, bonding. Who'd have thought? But speaking of hurt..._"Casey, I...I don't think I can really move now. Adrenaline's gone. I hurt like hell. Can I sit down?"

As Casey turned to get a chair, Chuck crumpled to the ground.

***

Sarah practically sprinted out of Castle, for the first time not running towards something but away instead. As she reached the front of the OO, she stopped, leaning back against the cool glass. When a chill rolled through her, she lowered her hands to her knees and doubled over.

_I will not throw up. I will not cry. I will not lose it. I am a professional. I am better than this._

_I was never supposed to have to be a professional again._

_I will not throw up. I will not cry. I will not lose it. _

_Damn it, Chuck, damn it! _

She swiped at her cheeks, unsurprised at the tears escaping her. _Okay, I won't throw up, how's that? _Her legs went weak and she slowly slid down to sit on the sidewalk, hands wrapped around her knees, head buried in her arms.

_I was done. It was done. I was about to quit, and now we're both in deeper than ever._

_Damn it, Bryce, you weren't supposed to die!_

The tears fell steadily as Sarah mourned her loss.

"Walker!" came the sharp whisper behind her. "Bartowski's down, I need a hand."

_Chuck?! Down?! _She shot to her feet without a word and ran back towards the man she'd been so anxious to escape.

***

He drove. There were no lights save his own, nothing to keep him awake but adrenaline and fear. _If Bryce is dead, and if I know my son, he's the Intersect again. Damn it, __**damn it! **_Orion slammed his hand on the steering wheel in frustration. Bryce's words sent a chill down his spine. _He didn't trust Beckman, and she's in control of the Intersect. What the hell is going on? _

A sign appeared on the side of the road -- Moab, UT 30 miles.

_This better be worth it, Larkin._

He put his foot even more firmly on the gas.

***

The smell of lavender and citrus came through first. _Sarah? _He blinked slowly. Once, twice. Vague outlines started to come into focus, and he sneezed, his prone body spasming on the cot he was laying on.

"Ow! Damn it," he groaned. _Wait, cot? Where the hell...?_

The room came into sharp focus, and the briefest brush across his nose of blonde waves retreating gave him a hint as to what might've caused his sneeze. "Sarah?" he croaked. "What happened?" _Why the heck can't I sit up? _He twisted his head to the side, levering his head and shoulders up slightly. _No restraints..._He tried to lift his arm and managed to shift it an inch. _What is wrong with me?_

"Chuck," Sarah said softly. _Oh, thank goodness._ "Don't try to move yet."

_Chuck! She called me Chuck. Oh thank goodness. _Every part of Chuck felt weak with a relief so overwhelming it was a blessing to lie back down and close his eyes. _She called me Chuck. _

"You're feeling the aftermath of being a ninja in a nerd's body," she explained, giving him a half-smile. _Not to mention scaring the heck out of me._ "Now that you're conscious, I'm going to hook you up to some electrodes, to stimulate your muscles again, and then we're going to ice you down. Does Ellie expect you home?"

_Oh my god, Ellie!! _Chuck tried to lever himself off the table in his panic. _Move, stupid limbs, move!!_

"Chuck!" Sarah admonished. _God, Walker, wrong question to ask. This is Chuck, of _course _he'll freak over leaving Ellie in the dark. _"Chuck, calm down!"

_She's gonna kill me, she's gonna hate me and disown me..._"B-b-but I didn't say good night or goodbye or congratulations or -"

"Or everyone could have seen us dancing, and then didn't see us anymore and Ellie's car is gone." A wry smile graced Sarah's tired visage. "I think they might draw a different conclusion than we had to go save the world from a league of superspies." _I just wish that conclusion could've been the right one..._

_Oh, crap. _Chuck blushed bright red, and cringed as he realized there was nowhere to run in his condition. _If I close my eyes, maybe the ground will just swallow me whole? _He scrunched his eyes tightly shut and barely resisted the urge to bang his head against the hard mattress. _Great. Just great. I have to tell Ellie, who _already _thinks we couldn't contain ourselves at the first wedding, that we ditched out on her wedding reception for the same reason. Perfect._ He sighed aloud. "Can I at least have my phone to call or text her?"

Sarah handed it to him with a smirk. "You were great. Let me know when you're done and we'll get those electrodes going." Her hand seemed to reach out to tousle his curls, _Oh, Chuck...I wish I had just told you at the reception...now we're right back where we started..._but instead she turned to leave.

He gazed after her, the sway of her hips hypnotic as ever. _What the hell was that? Was she...flirting? _Chuck stared at the door she'd exited from, dumbfounded._ Can't be. That makes no sense. She must still be in shock. _He looked down at the iPhone. "Time to pay the piper..."

***

Sarah walked back to the main room of Castle, letting her fake cheer dissipate as she sank heavily into a seat at the table. _This is more horribly screwed up than I could've imagined, _she thought despairingly.

A glass with two fingers of whiskey appeared in front of her. "Drink up," Casey advised. "You know as well as I do we've gotta get all our stuff out of here, and fast." His gaze dropped to the table, seeing, she knew, the four men he couldn't save.

_Damn it. Damn it, Casey. _"Casey," Sarah murmured, "It's not your fault. You couldn't have known, especially being gone for two years." _You can't fall apart, Casey, you can't, not now...not when _I'm _about to lose it..._

He swirled his own glass pensively, draining the contents in one fiery gulp. "Yeah, my head knows that. But the rest of me is pissed as hell that I didn't see it, couldn't read it." _I should've. I should have known. How soft have I gotten, damn it! _ "They were my unit. _Mine, _Walker. I trained them, made them a team, and I couldn't see it. Didn't have a gorram clue."

Sarah cracked a smile. "Gorram, Casey? 'Firefly' that engrossing even over surveillance feed?" _God, Casey, laugh or something. I can't carry us both. I can barely carry myself._

Casey narrowed his eyes at her. "You tell anyone I said that, Walker, you're gone." _And I...aw, hell, I can't do this alone. _

"No worries. _I'd _have to admit I recognized the reference." _Though as the cover girlfriend, I'd be expected to. _Her gaze flicked towards the back room where Chuck was. _Damn it all. Damn Bryce and Chuck and the Intersect and the CIA and the NSA and the Ring..._She raised her glass to Casey and drained it as quickly as he had. "Time to get back to work."

***

"Ellie, calm down. _Calm down. _It's Dad, he wanders. Yes, I know it's your wedding night, why else would he and I both have vacated the premises? Yes, I know we missed the bouquet and the garter. No, I didn't plan that. Yes, I left with Sarah. Ellie! No! I am not - you're my sister that's - no! No _no_ -- _Hi _Devon. Yeah, bro, I'm with Sarah." He closed his eyes and grimaced. "No, I didn't drink the wang juice. Yes, I know, awesome. Okay. Okay, Devon." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Yes, Devon, it's about my job. Please, just -- I can't believe I'm about to say this -- take my sister and entertain her, distract her. No! No, I did not say 'enter her'! Devon! Gross! Dude! _Dude! _Okay, no, I gotta go. No, seriously, I gotta...Yeah, love you both. I'll see you before you leave for the honeymoon, promise. Okay. Okay. I will. Good night." Chuck smacked his head repeatedly against the mattress beneath him. _Okay, stupendously gross. That was just torture. I never, ever, want to think about this again. Ever. Why the hell did I think calling was the right idea?_

"Chuck? You okay?" Sarah stood in the doorway, a look of concern on her face. _That sounded painfully awkward. Can't believe he _called_ them._

_Oh, great. _"Yeah, sorry. Don't hurt the Intersect, I know," he answered without looking at her. "That's what matters, right?" he asked, bitterness seeping unbidden into his voice. _Not me. Not just Chuck. Not anymore. Not for years. _He closed his eyes and smacked his head against the pillow again. "Sarah...Sarah, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. That's not fair." _Please don't hate me. I couldn't handle that, not now._

The frown she'd turned on him softened, and she quirked a sad smile at him instead. _Nothing about this is fair._ "Neither was running away from you, or calling you Mr. Bartowski. I'm sorry, Chuck." This time she let her hand brush his forehead, smooth back his hair. "I didn't mean to hurt you." _And I know that I did._

He turned to look at her, grasping for her hand. "There's nothing to apologize for. It's been quite the day, we're all on edge." _And you just lost the love of your life._

_**42.5 percent probability kiss on the hand accepted**_

_**2.5 percent probability kiss on the lips accepted**_

_**52 percent possibility kiss on the lips rejected**_

_**3 percent probability kiss on the hand rejected**_

_Damn. This is gonna take some getting used to. _Chuck successfully entwined his hand with hers, and pressed a gentle kiss to the back of it. _Ow. Crap. _He met her gaze over her captured hand. "Um, can we do that electroshock thing now? Not that it would be a problem for _me_, but I think you might mind being stuck with me, and I think I'm in danger of getting stuck like this." _If only you wanted to be stuck with me..._

Sarah only smiled enigmatically. "I think the mobile Intersect needs to be _mobile_. And if I'm going to be stuck with you, being bent over my hand isn't nearly..._entertaining_ enough." _Gotcha._

_Oh, crap. _"Uh, you heard that?"

Sarah nodded as she moved to wheel over the electrostim machine. "Yeah. You kind of took a while, so I came back to check on you. I, uh, caught the tail end." As she attached the pads to the electrodes, she cleared her throat. _Oh boy..._"Um, you're, uh, you're going to have to strip down, Chuck. I need to attach these to your skin." The blush that had plagued her in the limo full of bridesmaids returned in full force as she looked away. _What the hell, Walker! Blushing again? What is going on with you? _

_I have to what? _He looked up at Sarah, jaw dropped, his mouth desert dry. "Um, I...oh." _What did you think, Chuck? You just have to strip. In front of Sarah. The girl you love. Who may or may not have been about to leave you forever. Of course._

_**12.7 percent probability sexual overture accepted. Ancillary: Post-coital disagreement 99.9 percent probability**_

_**2.9 percent probability - **_

_No! _Chuck squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head violently. _I will _not _use the Intersect like _that _with Sarah, and I surely am not going to try to have sex with her right now! What the hell is wrong with me?!_ He opened his eyes again to find Sarah watching him worriedly.

_What the hell was that? _"Chuck? What happened?" _Where did you go in your head? _"Was that a flash?"

_Yup, a totally inappropriate one. _"Yeah, kind of." He struggled to sit up, managing to lift his head again but unable to get any support from his arms. "I, I get these probabilities now, scrolling like a news ticker in my head." Sarah helped him haul up to a seated position as he explained, "It's how I didn't make a fool of myself with Beckman." He started shrugging his shoulders in an attempt to take off his suit jacket. _Aw, come on, I can't even undress myself? _The jacket finally loosened enough that he could flop his arms out of it.

Sarah pulled the sleeves away from him. _That makes sense_, _but..._ "Chuck, what possessed you to call her on your own? That's Casey's job, and mine." _Now. Again. Damn it._

Chuck cleared his throat. _Because I thought you'd have a breakdown if you were the one telling Beckman Bryce was dead? _"I, uh...I wanted to give you...and, and Casey time to...recover." _Yeah, that was smooth. Stupid Intersect, I could've used a hand on that!_

_**1.1 percent probability explanation accepted**_

_**98.9 percent probability -**_

"I don't believe you."

"What?" Chuck looked up at her, stung by her instant cynicism. At the penetrating look in her eyes, he looked away to struggle with his shirt buttons. _Crap. _He fumbled nerveless fingers, plucking ineffectually at buttons that suddenly seemed microscopic.

Sarah brushed his hands away and took over. "I don't believe you, but...I think I understand. You wanted to establish yourself on different footing with Beckman. It's good strategy." As she reached his stomach, she paused. _Oh boy. It's tucked in._

Chuck looked at her, laying a hand over hers. "Sarah, it wasn't strategy." _But considering all these mixed signals, I don't know if I should explain more than that. _"I just...I wanted to..."

She frowned at him. "You just what?" _If not strategy, then...?_

"I didn't want you to have to talk about Bryce," he whispered. "I was trying to spare you that." _But I couldn't, and I'm so sorry. _He merely gazed at her, sorrow and regret in his eyes.

_Oh, Chuck. _Her eyes betrayed her, filling with tears. "Chuck," she began.

"No, Sarah, it's okay, you don't have to talk about it unless you want to." _And I don't know if I want to hear it. _

"Walker, the cleaners are -- I'm sorry, am I interrupting?" Casey smirked at the scene before him. _This should be entertaining..._

Chuck immediately drew his hand back. _Oh crap. What the hell was I thinking? _"Uh, sorry, cleaners?"

"Castle is compromised," Sarah explained calmly. _And so am I. But at least I'm not blushing. _Turning to Casey, she continued. "I was going to electrostim for twenty minutes -- can they leave this for last?"

Casey grunted. "I suppose." _Aww, that wasn't nearly entertaining enough. _He turned and left the room.

All business, Sarah yanked his shirt from his pants. "I'll let you do the rest." _Before I do something I can't take back. Damn it, Bryce! You weren't supposed to die! _She closed her eyes briefly, and stepped back. "Think you can manage the slacks?"

"Uh, yeah, I can." _I can't manage much of anything else but at least I can dress and undress myself. _He reached for the buckle, wincing as his leaden arms protested. _At least, I _think _I can..._

Sarah sighed and stepped closer again. "Let me, I promise I won't take advantage of you." _I'm too damn messed up right now._

Chuck gulped audibly. "Uh, okay." _Cold shower - Mrs. Meltzer with the three boobs - Casey - my dad naked - Niagara Falls - Antarctica - the Bering Sea - Bryce dead...Yeah, Bryce dead. That'll do it. _He sighed aloud as he shimmied his hips to help Sarah with the pant legs. _And I'm successfully undressed without being completely inappropriately aroused. Woot. _"Are we...?" At her nod, he dropped back on the cot. "Let's get this over with."

"Can't say I've ever had a nearly nude man say that to me before," Sarah murmured as she began attaching electrodes from the machine she'd wheeled next to him. _And after that morning in Barstow, I wouldn't have expected to hear it from you either. _

Chuck's jaw dropped open. _What the hell? It's shock. It's gotta be. _"Ah!" He looked down in morbid fascination as he felt his muscles begin to twitch involuntarily.

"That's the electrostimulation. It's making your muscles contract, which'll help strengthen them. It'll also help with the cramping." Sarah applied the last of the electrodes to his legs with clinical precision, turning the last control up. _Not looking, not looking..._"Controls are to the right of you. Turn them up as much as you can handle, turn them down if you need to, but don't turn them off, okay? I'll be back soon to do that."

He nodded. "I feel like Frankenstein's monster," he joked. _In more ways than just the physical..._

"You look like it," came Casey's voice from the doorway. _Now quit making googly eyes at her, we've got work to do. _"Walker, they need our authorization codes."

She nodded. "Be right there." Turning to Chuck, she checked the levels next to him, and satisfied, turned to walk away.

"Sarah!" he called after her.

She turned back to look at him, eyebrow raised in question. _I hope nothing's torn or strained..._"Yes?"

"I...I'm really sorry you're stuck with me again. I know Bryce would've been so much better than me at all this," _as would almost anyone with an iota of physical prowess_, "but I promise I'll train harder than any recruit. And I'm pretty sure the Intersect will help too. I won't let you or Bryce down."

_Oh, Chuck..._"Chuck, I -"

"Walker!" Casey called. "We need you, _now_."

_Damn it, Casey! _Chuck's melancholy gaze tore at her. _I just..._"I'll be back, Chuck." She walked quickly from the room before she could change her mind.

Chuck could only watch as she left him. He pressed his head back into the mattress and groaned, muscles twitching and his mind racing. _I don't think I've ever felt so alone in my life._

***

He was alone, in the middle of nowhere, his surroundings lit only by his flashlight. _You've got to be kidding me. _He pulled out his PDA again, listening to Bryce's message in his Bluetooth headset as he surveyed the area.

"When you get to town, you'll need to find the Moab Kane Creek Access Road, off of 191, and follow it out of town until you see the oil drills to your right. There'll be a dirt road after it that loops around. At the top of that loop, you'll find a hiking trail, marked by a forked tree. If you hike a mile, you'll find my safe house, a cabin in the woods. Key is in the cactus out back. Don't expect any amenities, but you can stay as long as you like. You'll find everything you need there, including the computer that I used to keep my complete records. There's a catch though. I'm not going to give you the password."

Orion shook his head as he opened the door and felt the blast of hot, stale air.

"For the password, you're gonna have to ask Chuck."

* * *

**A.N.:** And the players take their places...By the way, Moab Kane Creek Access Road does exist, as does that looping dirt road, though whether there's a trail and a safe house at the end, it would be a massive coincidence. :) I originally conceived something akin to an actual season, so writing this is relatively fast -- it's the editing that kills me. Just hope you guys are enjoying it!


	4. Reflections on a Night of Intrigue

**Chapter 3: Reflections on a Night of Intrigue**

**Disclaimer in previous chapters. Additional disclaimer: Sleep deprived, as I could not go to bed without writing this. Forgive any incoherence, and please let me know if I've lost my mind. Thanks! And now, more Season 3...  
**

* * *

Chuck lay on the cot like a sacrificial offering, electrodes attached to places so nearly intimate he was forced to sprawl like the Vitruvian Man. Thoughts continued to swirl chaotically as he awaited Sarah's return.

_What the hell was that all about? Flirting, weepy, angry, detached, I can't keep up anymore! One minute she looks like she's going to fall apart, the next like she's going to jump me. Could Bryce have been right? Did she...did she actually want to stay?_

_**Based on psychological testing of Walker, Sarah, aka -**_

"Whoa!" Gasping and sputtering like a man who'd been drowning, Chuck blinked rapidly, trying to clear the afterimage from his retinas. _Holy crap. I have her personnel file?! _Chuck swallowed hard. _Let's test it..._He closed his eyes, purposely focusing on Casey.

_**Casey, John, rank Colonel, USMC, NSA. Born January 13, 1969, to Casey, Margaret, nee Worthington, and Casey, John, retired, rank Admiral. Extensive psychological testing reveals -**_

Chuck shook it off again, blinking rapidly. _I'm not invading his privacy any more than I'd invade Sarah's. But...wow. _

_Just wish I knew what the heck was going on in her mind._

_What's going on in _mine _is messed up enough._

Bryce's message played in his head, the terrible troll's sword bringing Spy World home to Chuck yet again. He closed his eyes, saw the video against his eyelids. _Don_'_t trust Beckman, _Bryce had warned. _Trust your father. He_'_ll be contacting you soon. He has to, to help destroy the Ring._ Bryce had known about the Ring, but hadn't said a word. _I know there_'_s a chance that this message will find you as the Intersect again, and if it does – Chuck, I want you to know one thing. If you_'_re the Intersect, this time, I_'_m sorry. _Bryce's expression was deadly serious, chilling Chuck to the bone. _Your dad is going to find the schematics, but you_'_ll need to give him the password. You_'_ll know it, don_'_t worry. But when he does – learn them. Learn the Intersect, all that it can do. And don_'_t trust it, Chuck – it doesn_'_t have your best interest as the top priority. _Bryce's eyes drilled into Chuck's even through his memory._ It can get you killed. _Chuck heaved a sigh that morphed into a groaning whimper. And he thought, not for the first time, and surely not for the last, _What the hell have I gotten myself into…_

***

Sarah let out a frustrated sigh as she logged into computer after computer. _Still don't get why we have to go through all of this when they're just going to wipe all the drives. I'm sure Chuck would be able to tell me._

_Chuck._

_Oh god, what am I going to do about Chuck?_

_I can't even figure out if I'm happy, sad, angry, attracted...This...I just...I never expected this. I was ready to quit, leave the CIA, start a _real life. _I've never wanted to before, and I was ready. I was a breath away from it._

_And then we both got sucked right back in._

She closed her eyes, shook her head briefly. _And now there_'_s no way out, again. He_'_s the asset, I_'_m his handler, and if I pretend everything yesterday didn_'_t happen, I get to stay. _She turned to look around, realized there were no consoles left. _Talk about Sophie_'_s Choice. _

Casey sighed as he watched her. _Can_'_t believe I_'_m gonna ask…_"Walker, you all right?" He scowled as he looked her up and down. "Something's off, I can smell it." _And as much fun as it_'_d be to tease you about it, we_'_ve got work to do._

She sat heavily at the table, pinched the bridge of her nose. _He deserves to know. _"I was going to quit," she whispered.

_Holy – _"You were _what?_" Disbelief was etched into Casey's features as he sat across from her. _Hell, she_'_s more compromised than I thought._

Sarah opened her tear-glazed eyes. "I wasn't going with Bryce, I was going to stay. I told him I was going to stay, and then he walks right into a trap." _It was my fault. It _is_ my fault. Chuck is the Intersect again because Bryce got caught. And Bryce got caught because of me._

_Oh crap. _"Walker, you can't –"

"Can't, what? Blame myself? Yes, I can. I told him and right after I did he lets his guard down with the wrong person. He gets caught, cornered, shot, and killed." _And I have no idea how to keep that from happening to Chuck._

"Well, hell, Walker. What are you going to do?" _Because I sure as hell don_'_t know what to tell you._

_You think I know? _"I have no idea." _Oh no. I just admitted to Casey that I_'_m compromised! _"Casey – you can't –" _Oh no. _"If you –" _Damn it, Walker! _"Are you going to tell Beckman?" she finally asked. Her voice was low, as if already braced for the worst.

_Well, crap. Am I? _Casey met her gaze ruthlessly, searched her expression for something. _Her eyes are – Hell, her eyes are dead. Like taking her away would take all the life out of her. _He didn't know his answer until it had already passed his lips. "No," he whispered, with the barest shake of his head. "I'm…" _Ilsa…_ "I'm going to give you two a chance." _But I_'_m not stupid. _"But if it starts messing with our missions, if you two can't keep your bumping uglies out of our work, I will give you one – _one – _chance to fix it. _That_'_s it._ Got it?" He leaned closer as he spoke and ended with his nose barely two inches from Sarah's face.

Sarah nodded once, firmly, but her eyes once again went watery and vague. "Thanks, Casey," she whispered. She traced absent patterns on the tabletop as she admitted quietly, "I'm not even sure I'll need that chance – I…I don't know if I can risk it with him." _If I lost him, I_'_d fall apart. Not like that won_'_t happen now, but I can_'_t imagine how much worse it would be if I…_ She cleared her throat, pushed back from the table. "I should go get Chuck."

_Aw, hell. Yeah, you should, in more ways than one. Damned if I can tell you that. _Casey replied with Grunt #3 again. _But I_'_ll do what I can. _He sighed as he rose. _For you, Ilsa. The chance we never really had._

_Plus, we get some damn good results as a team. Doubt it would happen if Bartowski wasn_'_t constantly drooling after Walker and trying to impress her._

_I_'_m only Sugar Bear to Ilsa, I_'_m not a freaking Yenta._

***

She stood in the doorway, and just looked at him. _What the hell am I going to do about you, Chuck?_ He lay on the table in the sterile white room, only the rise and fall of his chest kept her from panicking at his stillness. _I want so badly to tell you I wasn_'_t going to go. I just…_She ran a hand through her hair, a frustrated sigh escaping as she walked into the room. _Damn it, I don_'_t know if I can keep you from giving it away in front of everyone, you_'_re too open and honest and you care too much. You_'_d wear it all over your face. _Sarah cleared her throat as she approached him, watched as his eyes fluttered open. They lit up for the briefest of moments when he saw her, that light fading as reality set back in.

_Which Sarah do I get to deal with now, I wonder?_ He sighed as he thought it, and slowly flexed his fingers. _Well, at least I can move. _"Eeez eeet aliiiieeve?" Chuck joked, mock accent drawing a reluctant smile from Sarah. _I don_'_t want to think anymore today, let_'_s just leave it alone._

_**37.3 percent probability no further Intersect related activity upon exit**_

_**23.7 percent probability voluntary Intersect related activity upon exit, mission related**_

_**39 percent probability voluntary Intersect related activity upon exit, non-mission related**_

_What, like I can_'_t help but…Well…Okay, yeah the Intersect is kinda like a new toy I want to play with. But cautiously. _Chuck swallowed as he recalled the clear warning in Bryce's eyes. _Very _very _cautiously._

Sarah smiled wanly at him, "I sure hope so." _Because that is my only priority right now, even if it has to break my heart._ She started peeling electrodes off of him, nodded in agreement as he moved to assist her. "Feeling better?"

He rotated his shoulders, flexed his arms. "Yeah, I am, actually. Thanks." _I get the feeling I_'_m going to need this pretty often._

He smiled warmly at her, if not at full wattage, close enough to send butterflies through her. He peeled off the last electrode from inside his thigh and as her eyes followed involuntarily, her mouth went dry.

Chuck sighed in relief, eyes closed, Sarah's gaze unseen. _Finally._ _Now if I can just – _"Um…can I have my clothes back now?"

_Oh my goodness! _"Oh, Chuck, I'm – I'm so – of course!" She handed him the pants and shirt, blushed furiously. She turned away and bit her lip. _Is this what_'_s going to happen now that you know you want him?_ _If you can_'_t focus, you can_'_t let it happen._

Chuck pulled his clothes on quickly. _Can_'_t wait to try to put this night behind me. Oh crap. Can_'_t go home…_He looked at Sarah and swallowed hard. "Uh, Sarah? I, uh, I can't go home tonight. Can I…" _I can_'_t believe I_'_m asking this after you just lost Bryce. _"Can I stay with you tonight?"

Sarah's eyes widened slightly in surprise. _Oh boy. This could be a problem._

***

"Report."

"I was part of the cleaning crew, and I saw Bartowski hooked up to the electrostim. I can confirm that he is the Intersect."

The figure on the screen smiled dangerously. "Good."

"Do we move on the family?"

"Oh, no, not yet. There's time enough for that. We need to see what the Intersect can do in the field. But keep eyes on them at all times. The call may come quickly."

"I understand."

With a nod, the screen went black.

* * *

**A.N.** It is 2:08 AM, and I couldn't go to bed until I got this out of me. I know the chapter lengths are totally variable, but it's just when it strikes me as a break. This was honestly totally not the ending I'd originally planned for this chapter, but all of a sudden there it was on the page. And I liked it there. So, you'll have to wait a bit for more from Moab. Hope you'll follow along anyway!


	5. Confessions and Clues

**Chapter 4: Confessions and Clues**

**Disclaimers in the previous chapters, and hopefully entertainment here. :) Oh, and if you're wondering about Chapter 3, I forgot about the timezone difference, so considered me as posting two chapters in the same day, even though I was up till 2 AM New York time with Ch. 3. So you may have to backtrack. My apologies.  
**

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* * *

**Orion swung the door shut behind him, fumbling for and finding the light switch. _Bryce lived here? Huh. Guess I didn't give him enough credit. _The cabin was sparse, one room, small stove, sink and fridge in one corner, bed in another, bathroom to the side, and every other space filled with weapons, body armor, electronics. _Spy World, condensed to a one room cabin. Not at all what I_'_d expect from Mr. James Bond lite. _He idly picked up jammers and GPS systems, fiddled with them a bit. _Not a bad cache, Larkin._ He walked around the room, listening for what he knew was -- A hollow thud greeted his dress shoe, about halfway through the room. _Gotcha. _Orion looked down, keying commands into his wrist unit. _Can't leave home without it, _he chuckled to himself. _Besides, since Charles has its twin, I always know where he is. _Orion's unit chimed, indicating his scan was complete. _And, jackpot. _He smiled as the schematic revealed numerous electronic signatures from below him. _Time to get to work._

He squatted down to find the release, fingernails catching on a tiny switch. As he opened the door and peeked down, he caught sight of a flat screen TV. _Ah. _That's_ more what I expected._ He smiled, and climbed down the ladder into Bryce's _real_ safe house.

***

About 730 miles away from Moab, Chuck's headlights trailed Sarah's Porsche on the near empty road. _Empty by LA standards, at least, _he snickered to himself, and sighed in frustration. _Even the freaking ride home is like an analogy for our relationship – always too damn far behind her._ There was something going on with her, something she hadn't said, and it was killing him, killing them. _Long night, Chuck, you can'__t push, not tonight._ He resisted the temptation to consult the Intersect with some effort. _Not going to rely on that, I can'__t. Not if _Bryce _was unnerved by it. _He glanced at the seat next to him, where Orion's – _my -- _wrist unit sat. _My dad'__ll contact me, Bryce seemed sure of that. But not yet._

Driving ahead of Chuck, Sarah fought the urge to speed and weave, to take her confusion out on the road and the obstacles ahead of her. _Of course he'__d have to stay with me tonight. Of course. Because if the Awesomes saw him home or at Casey'__s, they'__d get suspicious, and we have to keep up our cover. Our pain in my ass, heart-breakingly close to real, cover. The cover I wanted to make the truth. That I can_'_t now. That if I admit, I might be reass– who am I kidding, Casey won'__t sell us out, not yet, not until – unless! – it'__s a problem. _She flicked her eyes to the rear view, and saw Chuck a respectful distance behind. _And what the hell do I say? '__Hey Chuck, sorry you'__re the Intersect again, especially since I was about to quit the CIA to stay with you.'__ I need to punch something. _Sarah let out an aggravated half-groan, half-scream and put her foot on the gas. _Close enough, Chuck can find the way._ She sped off, weaving through traffic like a stunt driver.

Behind her, Chuck could only sigh as she peeled off. _Well, she lasted longer than I thought she would, I have to say. I can'__t even imagine what she must be feeling. Like, really, can'__t. I don'__t know whether she wants me, hates me_...A scene from "Army of Darkness" played opaquely past his eyes. "First you want to kill me. Now you want to kiss me. Blow," Bruce Campbell instructed. _Huh. What is this, the Intersect has a complete movie library? _Chuck focused on various movies, some he'd seen, some that he hadn't, and entertained himself for the rest of the drive. _Thanks for teaching me how to control and guide my flashes, Dad. And I guess you never know when it'__d be helpful to finish a quote from Forrest Gump or The Big Lebowski. Not like I couldn'__t do that myself. Still, good deal._ He pulled into a spot in the parking lot and sighed as he looked up towards Sarah's suite. The light was already on. _Maybe she has some rusty pliers I can just pry my fingernails off with -- that might be a more pleasant way to pass the night._ He straightened his shoulders and plastered a smile on his face as he walked into the lobby, nodded to the night watchman. The tension and dread settled on him as he rode the elevator up. _If I find Cole Barker or another of her exes in there, I might just punch him out._ He scrubbed his hand down his face as he reached her door, knocked. _No whammy, no whammy, no whammy..._

"It's open!" she called from the bedroom, sighing as she sat on the bed. She'd quickly showered and changed into actual pajamas – a rarity for her – knowing when he arrived she'd likely be too...messed up to do anything that productive. _What the hell do I say to him?_

He shuffled back into the bedroom, looking subdued, hands in his pockets. _What the heck do I say to her? '__Hey Sarah, sorry you lost Bryce, and by the way were you about to quit the CIA?'_He looked at her and his mind went blank. "Sarah," he started.

"Chuck –" she began simultaneously. Their eyes locked and they shared a small smile. _If I don'__t say this first, I never will. _"Chuck, please, hear me out first."

He sat next to her at the foot of the bed. "Sarah, I –" _No, I have to say this --_

"_Please_, Chuck. If I don't say this now, I don't think I will ever be weak enough to say it again." _Great choice of words. Now what the hell is he going to think?_

_Weak? She has to be _weak_ to talk to me? Forget it. _"Sarah, I – "

"Chuck, _don_'_t_!"_ You are _not _helping! _"I have to tell you, because you deserve to know, and it matters." _And because I may never be brave enough to say this again._ "Chuck, at the reception...I...I wanted to say...I was trying to tell you..." She blew out a breath. "I don't want to save the world, not anymore, Chuck." She looked up, met his eyes. "I want to be with _you_. It's all I want. It's all I've wanted." Her voice was low, a rough whisper of defeat. "I don't know how to do this. I don't know what to do. Casey said he'd look the other way so long as it doesn't affect us as a team, but I don't think –"

"I _can_, Sarah, I swear I can keep it from affecting us, all I want is a chance, just a chance to – " Chuck was nearly breathless, hope and disbelief digging claws into his heart. _Oh my god, Bryce was telling the truth! I have a chance, I will do anything, _anything_ at all to --_

"Chuck, I don't know if _I _can!" Sarah turned away, pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes. _Forget confession being good for the soul, admitting that nearly ripped my heart out._ "I saw Bryce, lying there and –"

"Sarah, don't –" _I still don'__t think I want to hear this_...

"_Chuck!_ I _have_ to, I have to say this now or I swear I never will." _You wanted it, Chuck, you'__re going to get it. The truth. Good, bad, and really ugly._ "I want to be with you more than anyone I have ever known. But I need to _protect _you even more than that. I need to protect you and I don't know if I can do that if...if I give you any more of my heart than I already have." The last was said in a rush, as if she was forcing the words out. _And considering you have almost all of it, it might just be too late. _

She turned haunted eyes to his. "Chuck, you have to understand, I saw Bryce, lying there, and all I could think was how he wasn't supposed to die, because I knew that without him, without him to take your place – Chuck, if you hadn't destroyed the Intersect, if you hadn't downloaded it willingly..." _I can_'_t believe he hasn_'_t realized this yet_..."They'd have _forced _you to. The Intersect is too important, and Beckman wouldn't have given you a choice. So I knew with Bryce gone, you..." _and me _"were losing your chance at a normal life, whether you wanted to or not." _And whether I wanted to or not, either._

She shuddered, sighed, cast her gaze to the floor again. "It wasn't about Bryce, Chuck. I know you think that's why I'm so..." She waved her hand haphazardly in the air. "But it's not about Bryce, it's really only a little bit about him." She lifted her head, met his gaze squarely. "It's mostly about you, and about us. And about the life I wanted to have...with you, without the CIA. And then your father said...I knew I lost my chance." _I was too scared of how I feel about you, how you feel about me, and I_'_m paying for it._

"Sarah, we didn't lose a thing!" Chuck grasped her shoulders, shaking gently. _Are you crazy? I_'_m _right here! "Sarah, I can't – you honestly – This _is _our chance! Why can't we try?" _I love you, and you don_'_t care enough to fight for me?_

Sarah looked at him, wide-eyed. _He really doesn't get it? _"Because if we mess it up, if we can't keep our heads clear and make the right decisions, the consequences – Chuck, it's your _life_. I can't risk that. I _can_'_t_." _I'__d die if anything happened to you because of me, or us. _"Can't you understand that? I'm...I'm _scared_, Chuck, and I don't know what to do about it. I know I'll jump in front of a bullet for you, but the problem is you'll do the same for _me_, and I have to be faster, I have to be better because of that. I have to protect you _and _protect me at the same time." _Because if I don'__t protect myself well enough, you'__ll do it for me, and I can'__t have that. I can'__t have you risking your life for me. _"My job is to put your life ahead of mine. And I don't know how well I could do that if we fought, if you were mad at me or I was mad at you. Would I be more reckless? Slower? Sloppier? I just...I _can't_, Chuck. I can't gamble with your _life_." _Please, _please _understand. I don_'_t trust _**me**.

_You can_'_t gamble with my life, but you can stomp all over my heart? Great. _The joy and hope in his eyes dimmed as he understood how serious she was. "Fine, you're worried about how well you can protect me? Well then it's about time that I learn to do that myself." _And then we can protect each other, damn it. But if you_'_re still too scared when I can watch my own back_..."I'm going to play around with the Intersect in the living room. I'll sleep on the couch." He spun on his heel and left the room.

_Well that went well. _Sarah flopped back onto the bed and proceeded to soak her pillow with her tears.

_***_

Casey sat in the courtyard nursing a cigar, looking up at the starry sky. _The one and only benefit to getting back in the wee hours, you can actually spot a star in the smog. _He blew smoke rings up towards the clouds, spotted a shooting star.

_May they have better luck than we did_, Casey thought as he watched it streak across the sky.

***

General Beckman sat in her office, a phone pressed to her ear and a cigarette burning slowly in the ashtray to her right. "Yes, I know it's short notice, but I need a secure training facility in or near LA by Monday, with Castle facilities. I know this is unusual. Yes, I know today is already Saturday. Yes, I'm well aware that this wasn't approved. If I could go through regular channels for this, don't you think I would? I'm not in the business of wasting people's time. Fine. Send the account number. Secure wire transaction as usual. What do you think I am, an idiot? Well if you really _are _the best, then _prove it!_" She slammed the phone back into the cradle and took a grateful drag of the cigarette. _I am surrounded by idiots. Good thing I_'_m not one. _She tapped her finger restlessly against the file sitting on her desk. _Let_'_s see what you_'_re made of, Bartowski._ She flipped the file open to see pictures of him, Walker, Casey, the sister, the brother in law, and the strange little bearded man. _Let the games begin_...

***

**A.N.**: Chapter 5 is already being written, this one was just getting way too long, so here is your taste with more coming soon...And for those of you getting sick of the angst, I can only ask one thing -- trust me. I'm Charah through and through, and so is this. I promise. What, you think it would be easy with these two? Not even close. They're stubborn. ;)


	6. The Challenge

**Chapter 5: The Challenge**

**A.N.**: Okay, I know I said Ch. 5 was going quickly. But then it wasn't. I didn't like where it was going, and it seemed I was forcing it. So I trashed it and started over. Mostly. Sorry!! Hope the wait was worth it...

* * *

Chuck rubbed bleary eyes against the early morning light streaming in through blinds he hadn't thought to close. _Good job, Mr. Intersect. I got what, three hours of sleep? _He hoisted himself upright with only minor aches and pains. _Well, at least the muscles are taken care of. Could use a shower, though. _He turned towards the bedroom and sighed. _Wait. Door...open?_ He cautiously made his way back to investigate.

_**67.3 percent probability Walker, Sarah, engaged in exercise**_

_**12.7 percent probability still asleep**_

_**5.9 percent probability in shower**_

_**4.1 percent probability awake in bedroom**_

_**10 percent probability AWOL**_

Chuck paused mid-stride. _AWOL? Sarah? Could she -- did I -- oh crap. _He made no secret of his intention and quickly knocked on the open door. "Sarah?" he called. _Don't hear the shower..._"Sarah?" he called again as he entered. _Bed's made. Perfectly. _The Intersect started to flash on how to make hospital corners, but Chuck shook it off. _That's starting to annoy me. _He sighed as he spotted the note on the nightstand.

"Went for a run. Back later,"she'd written.

_Guess that answers that. Well, shower is mine..._

***

Her feet slapped the pavement rhythmically, comfortable and familiar. Soothing. _Don't have to think about the fact I should be on a plane or I should be a civilian right now. Or about Bryce. Or Chuck. Or...hell. I'm thinking about all of it now. _She ran faster, as if she could sweat out her confusion. _I can't, I can't let myself be with him, not now. He's even __**more **__important now, even __**more **__off-limits. _She pushed herself harder and hoped to outrun her yearning heart.

***

Orion woke with a start. _Oh, damn it! I fell asleep! _He looked at the computer console in front of him, barely refraining from throwing it across the room. "Damn it, Larkin," he muttered to the cobwebs, running his hands down his face. "The whole point was to keep Chuck _out_ of this, and now that you're dead, again, you're dragging him in, _again_." He pounded his fist on the table in frustration and looked around the room for the umpteenth time. _Not a single clue. _He stared at the screen as if it would magically yield new information. _What the hell does _'Iv 'oH _mean? _

He looked down at his wrist unit and sighed. _I don't want to know if I'm right, if Charles is the Intersect again...I'll officially have failed. And he'll really have to become a spy. _Orion reluctantly keyed in commands to track the wrist unit's twin. _Agent Walker's suite? Alone? Oh no. Oh, damn it. _

_She really _was _going to quit. And I ruined it. _He smacked himself in the forehead as a long-forgotten voice gently teased him from his memory. "Oh, Stephen," she'd laughed, "you really _must_ love the taste of shoe leather. Your timing is always so impeccable." And she'd kiss him then, as he stuttered and blushed. _Damn it, Amanda, I miss you._ He triangulated Charles' signal more precisely, found he was in the shower. _Guess I can wait a little longer. _

***

Beckman watched the surveillance feed from the Intersect facility with interest. _Impressive, Bartowski. Very impressive. No training on the new features of the Intersect, but you were able to access them as needed. The potential, once you're trained...You'll be our best weapon. And you must've already figured out the probability calculus, based on your report to me last night. Once we turn you into a spy, there will be no stopping us..._

***

Sarah ran back to the hotel reluctantly, afraid of what she'd find. _Chuck's still here,_ she realized, taking note of Ellie's car in the lot. She let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding as she made her way back to her suite. She opened the door and nearly tripped over the threshold. "Oh my god! Oh my god, I'm sorry," she blushed. _Oh god, please let me not salivate too obviously..._

Chuck stood in the middle of the living room, watching the Weather Channel forecast, one towel around his waist, a smaller one in his hands as he tried to tame, or at least dry, his hair. _Oh crap. Uh..._"No, Sarah it's fine, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have - I just felt so -" He looked behind her and paused. _Really? I can have that effect on her? _He cleared his throat and asked, "Can you maybe close the door?" _Yeah, now I _know_ you're full of it._

_Oh, you idiot. _She turned around and shut the door, pressing her heated forehead against it. _If you can't look at him without losing your mind, how the hell are you going to protect him? _

"I'll, uh, I'll get dressed now. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have gotten so comfortable. I didn't know how long ago you'd gone for your run, I meant to be dressed before you got back. I just got...distracted." _As the shower gave me time to think, and once I was sure you hadn't disappeared into the ether, I realized I'm still pissed off about what you said last night. So I started formulating what I wanted to say. And a quick shower turned out to be much longer._

Sarah's communion with the door kept her from seeing the determined expression on Chuck's face._ Distracted? Mr. Modesty? That doesn't sound like Chuck. _She turned back to face him and as she took a closer look..._Oh my..._"Chuck, let me see." Amorous feelings forgotten, she crossed to him and took his elbow in hand to examine his arm. "Oh, Chuck," she whispered.

His arm was a blossoming bruise, red, blue, black, purple, yellow, probably from blocking the blows of five trained spies. There were scrapes on his hand she hadn't noticed the night before. She trailed her fingers over an ugly purple bruise that mottled the skin over his ribs, looking for tenderness or swelling. "Damn it, Chuck, are you okay?" _How the hell did I miss this last night? _

Chuck closed his eyes at the touch with a shuddering breath. _Oh, Sarah...if only this were remotely real..._He opened his eyes and gently pulled her hand away. _I can't let you touch me like this, you're killing me._

Her fingers closed reflexively on air. _Damn it. I want to touch him again. _She forced her hand down to her side as he looked her in the eyes and answered.

"I'm _fine_, Sarah. I guess the bruises started to show overnight, but," he shot her a half-smile, "the Intersect and I concur -- I'm fine. No lasting damage, no abnormal swelling, no symptoms of hemorrhaging. Just some overzealous bad guys." _But while I have the chance..._"Is it always this bad?"

_Huh? _She watched as he gestured generically to his bruises. "Oh. Um, well, yeah, it can be." _Are there any bruises on you I haven't seen? _she wondered.

"So, how do you do anything but hide the day after? I mean, it's LA. I can't exactly go around in long sleeves right now."

"Well, you'd be surprised." _Focus, Walker, practical advice. _"Theater makeup is a spy's best friend. And the right long-sleeved shirt would be perfectly fine, actually, but I somehow doubt you have linen in that closet of yours." She moved past him -- _Good job, Walker, you didn't drool or ogle or molest him! -- _to the closet by the bathroom. Opening it, she pulled out a white linen button-down. _Oh, Bryce, why did it end up like this? _She turned back to Chuck. "Try this," she offered. "I don't think he'd mind."

_Oh great. Of course. _He took the shirt with a sigh. "Not sure it's my thing, but I'll give it a shot." He turned away to head back to the bathroom, but turned back. _I've got to get this off my chest. _"Sarah? Can we talk for a minute? After I get dressed?"

_Oh no..._"Uh, yeah. Sure. Can I maybe..." she gestured to the bathroom.

_Oh, right. Running, sweaty. Duh, Chuck. _"Oh, yeah, sorry, of course. I'll just change in the bedroom."

They walked back through the suite together, and Chuck stopped in the bedroom while Sarah walked on.

_I could get used to seeing him like this, having his clothes on my bed..._The thought came unbidden as she closed the door to the bathroom and sighed. _But I can't. I just can't. If I screw up, if he makes a mistake…I can't take the risk, damn it. _She stepped into the scalding shower and willed the water to wash the chaos in her mind away.

Chuck slipped on his slacks and put on the shirt. As he buttoned it up, he caught sight of himself in the mirror. _Huh. Actually not bad. Kind of island casual. _He tried on a Carmichael smile. _Welcome to Spy World, Bartowski. _But he sighed as he sat on the bed and waited for the water to shut off, sick dread sitting leaden in his stomach. _Time to take your first stand._

The water shut off right on cue, and Sarah emerged moments later, toweling off her hair, wearing what Chuck had deemed Casual Sarah -- khaki shorts and a form fitting tank top.

"You wanted to talk?" she asked. _Do I want to listen? _She sat down next to him. _I have a bad feeling about this..._

"Yeah, I did. I never got a chance to say what I was going to say last night, and I really need you to hear it. In fact, I have even more to say after thinking about what _you_ said last night." _And I doubt you're gonna like it._

Sarah bit her lip as she looked at him expectantly. _I think I liked passive Chuck better…_

_Hearing no protest…_"Sarah, I was ready to let you go. Well, maybe not _ready_, but I _understood_. I understood that you have this connection to something bigger and more important than me, a job and a duty that you couldn't let go." _Or weren't willing to._ "I wanted to tell you that I didn't do this to stay with you, or to force myself into your life. I don't want you thinking that I downloaded the Intersect because I – because of the way I feel about you." _No way am I telling her I love her like this._ "I did it because I knew it was the right thing to do, because I knew and understood how important it is, and I didn't want Bryce's death to be for nothing. I did it because of _me_, because of who I am, and the type of person I want to be. I had a _choice_ this time, and I made it."

"But then you tell me you were ready to leave that job and that duty, in the context of telling me that you and I can't happen, even though you want us to. Do you have any idea what hearing that is like? You were ready to leave for a _regular_ guy, but now that I'm the Intersect with the built in ninja pack, now that I'm going to continue to be a part of the Spy World, I'm not good enough to fight for?"

Sarah glared at him. _Did you understand _anything _I said last night?_ "Chuck, that's not it at all!"

"Isn't it? You say you can't worry about protecting both of us. Well, that's not going to be a problem, Sarah, you know that. You've _seen _that. Or have you already forgotten me against five guys with guns and the fact that I'm going to get actual training?" _Come off it, Sarah, I'm calling your bluff._

"But, until then –"

"Until then_ nothing_, Sarah! The Intersect is _already in here_," he said, tapping his temple. "And I can already use it. Sure, I'm sore as anything when I'm done, the body can't keep up with the strain yet, but I can do it. _I can do it, Sarah_. I can help protect me. I can help protect _you_. So what are you really afraid of, huh?" _Tell me the truth. Please. _He locked eyes with her, refusing to look away or speak into the silence between them. The Intersect tried to offer probabilities but he ignored them, staring, only staring at her, challenging her.

"What do you want from me?" she pleaded. "I told you last night, I have to protect you, and being in a real relationship with you..." _Would break down every defense I have and scares the hell out of me._ "Chuck, I just can't! I'm too –" _screwed up, terrified, emotionally stunted -- _

Misinterpreting her silence, Chuck bitterly filled in his own answer. "You're too scared to trust me, to trust us." _Damn it, Chuck! Because hurting her or making her mad will help. Moron. Try again! _ He softened his voice, let his shoulders drop as the frustration and bile that had built during his speech drained away. "You asked me to trust you two years ago, and I did, because something about you felt _real_ to me, when nothing else did. I want to be that for you, Sarah, I want to be the real thing for you. But I think I can be that real thing _in_ the Spy World, too, not just outside it. Or I could if you'd give us a chance." _Please, just give us a chance..._"Or maybe I was just a way to a normal life, a way to leave the CIA behind and not feel guilty, and now that I can't do that, it's not good enough," he whispered. _There. My deepest darkest fear, laid bare._

She couldn't do anything but look at him, seeing the hurt and confusion on his face. _Is that it? I wanted a normal life and now that he can't give it to me, we're back where we started? _She looked at him again, met his gaze, even let herself fall under its spell of hope and home. _No, that's not it at all. _"Chuck," she pleaded, "whatever the reason, all I know is I'm scared, so scared, of losing you." _Please understand._ _Please, Chuck._

"Sarah, you're going to lose me for sure if we go on like this. Because I can't think of any reason for us _not _to be together now. I'm more than a civilian asset now, you know that better than anyone. So I'm gonna ask you the same thing you asked me -- _trust me, _Sarah. Take a chance." _Please. _He sighed as she looked at him, lost and uncertain. "I'll give you as much time as I can, Sarah, but someday, maybe soon, it's going to be too much and I'm going to pull away. You have to understand that." _It would kill me, but I can't wait for you forever. _I _can't do that._

"I...I understand," she whispered. _And I hope to hell I can figure this out before then. _

He nodded and left the room without a word.

***

Chuck threw himself down on the couch, draped an arm over his eyes. _Well, you did it. You said your piece, she knows you won't wait forever. What else can you - _Chuck blinked as inspiration struck. _Of course! _He picked up his phone, scrolling through recent calls. He dialed the number.

"Hey, it's Chuck. No, nothing's wrong, I just wanted to see if you were free? Yeah? Really? Where are - oh, really? Huh. Guess that makes sense. May I come by? Great. No, I'm at Sarah's. Haha, very funny. Yeah, be there in ten."

He walked to the bedroom again, knocked lightly on the door. "Sarah?"

"Yeah, come in, Chuck." She ran her hands through her hair, down her face. "For someone who says he's just a normal guy, you're pretty insightful, you know that?" _And now I'm left knowing I'm a big fat liar and a coward. _

He gave her a half-smile. "Hey, I'm fighting for something special here, I'm relentless." He threaded his hand through hers. "Sarah, I'm not trying to hurt you, or make you face things you don't want to. But I lo- I feel too strongly about you, and us, to let you just write us off. If it's too much for you, I can respect that. But I need _you _to respect me enough to tell me the truth. No excuses. You can protect me, Sarah, and I'm going to finally be able to protect myself too. So if that's really your reason, I'm gonna do everything I can to eliminate that problem. But, if that's _not_ it, I need to know."

She gazed into his eyes. _I wish I knew..._"It's the best I can give you right now."

He nodded firmly, and let her hand drop as he stood. "Okay. If you come up with anything else, let me know. I'm heading out."

"But you're -- you can't -- it's too --" Sarah sputtered. _Don't leave me._

Chuck tapped his temple with a smile. "I promise if anything happens, you'll be the first to know." _Well, _probably_ the first. "_Hey, we still have lunch with Ellie and Awesome, before the honeymoon. I'll see you in four hours. What trouble could I get in?"

She only sat dumbfounded as he left. _Well, crap._

***

When Chuck appeared on Casey's doorstep about ten minutes later, he uttered only two words:

"Train me."

***

A.N. Any bets on how long it takes Sarah to figure things out? And how will lunch with the Drs. Awesome go? I don't know either. I'm going to write more and hope to find out...


	7. Communication

**Chapter 6: Communication**

**A.N.: **Sorry this took so long! I was writing but found that was down, and then real life got in the way. Hope this little bit is worth it! Thanks to all my readers and reviewers and special thanks to rachelanne6791 for her plug on her blog, .com/. :) I'm totally flattered and appreciative, and this is the best thank you I know.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of _Chuck. _Except that this is an AU, so maybe I can pretend? Yeah, no. Oh well.

* * *

_Hi, I'm Chuck! Here are some things you may have missed or you might have forgotten. _

_I was just a regular nerd working at the Buy More the first time I unwittingly got involved with the government supercomputer known as the Intersect. It was sent to me by my old college roommate and CIA operative Bryce Larkin. I spent two years trying to get it out of my head to get back to a normal life. It took my father, codename Orion, the guy who created it in the first place, to do it, but I did get it out, and he built another one for Bryce._

_The only problem is, Bryce was killed. He told me to destroy it, but I knew how important it is to stopping the bad guys of the world. Which, incidentally, was why he was killed. So, I downloaded it again. My choice. And then I destroyed it. Now, I'm right back where I started. Well, I quit the Nerd Herd, but otherwise, same place._

_And, same people. I have two handlers. One's from the NSA, Colonel John Casey. He's a badass, and I'm hoping he'll help me train to be one too. Well, not as bad as him, but I'd settle for not tripping over my own feet and being able to protect myself. Hopefully if I can do that, I can quit just being The Asset. Why? Well, take a look at her. That's Sarah Walker, my CIA handler, cover girlfriend, and, I just found out, almost my _real _girlfriend. She was going to quit the CIA and stay with me, to try to live that normal life. But with the Intersect back in my head, she drew the line again, and I'm left on the other side of it. So, yeah, training. If I can protect myself, I'm hoping we can be something more. _

_Wouldn't you?_

***

Chuck walked in as Casey stood aside. _Where's the furniture? _"Guess the cleaners didn't bring your stuff back yet?"

Casey snorted. _Poor sucker. _He tossed Chuck a t-shirt and sweatpants. "Of course they did, I moved it out of the living room when you called."

"Huh?" Chuck frowned. _Why would he do that? _He moved to the bathroom and changed as Casey continued speaking.

Casey smirked. _He really has no clue. _"I knew when you called what you wanted."

"How could you have known?" _What am I missing here? _Chuck emerged from the bathroom and barely refrained from scratching his head in confusion.

Casey sighed. _Damn it. Lady feeling conversation..._"Because I knew she'd be too chicken to make a move." _Crap. Teasing him seemed like a good idea to start..._

"You.._what? _You _knew_?" Chuck's voice cracked on the second question, eyebrows meeting hairline in shock and disbelief. _How the hell does Casey have _any _idea about me and Sarah? _

Casey shook his head_. _"What, you think while you were lying around Walker and I were playing Parcheesi? I may not approve of lady feelings, but I can recognize them." _Especially since I've been there._ "She's been compromised for at least a year now, but we get results. I told her I wouldn't say anything so long as it didn't affect our performance. But she said she was probably too scared. So, you call, her place...I'm not stupid." _At least, not anymore. _Casey took a ready stance. "Now come on, enough therapy, attack me."

Chuck stood dumbfounded. "You...you said you wouldn't report us and she...she said she was scared?" _What am I supposed to make of that? Casey, supportive, and Sarah, afraid?_

Casey nodded, "Yeah, yeah, what of it? You want to train, I have to see what you can do. Come on!" _I shouldn't have opened my mouth in the first place..._

"Did she tell you she was gonna leave the CIA?" _I can't believe she told Casey all this before she told me! She must..._Chuck sighed as he saw the knowledge on Casey's face and realization struck. _She must really be a mess about it._

_He gets it now, _Casey reflected as he caught Chuck's sigh. "Of course, we're partners. Plus, like I said, compromised. I knew she wouldn't leave. But lemme guess -- she can't protect you if she's too close?"

Chuck nodded sourly. _Or so she claims._

"Figured. So, let's prove her wrong. Attack me, Bartowski, I know you've got it in you." He gave the Matrix come hither wave, eyes flashing. _Come on, I don't do mopey puppy dog, _fight me!

_She told Casey, she knows there's no risk of him selling us out, and she's just too damn scared to -- _"YEAARGH!!" With a frustrated howl, Chuck charged, anger and adrenaline surging, hands, arms, fists, elbows flying.

Casey parried and blocked, as he assessed Chuck's skill level. _This is fun! _Fists flew back and forth, both men ducked, kicked, dodged. A smile broke across Casey's face, along with the sweat on his brow. _Oh, yeah, I could get used to this._

Chuck's mind, meanwhile, was blank, probabilities flying a mile a minute, driving his limbs.

Casey blocked and caught his arm. "Good, Bartowski. Good start." _We have potential here. This could be fun._

Chuck panted, trying to catch his breath. "Thanks." _Maybe I should've stretched? _He shook out his limbs, but ended up with his hands on his knees, gulping air.

_We've definitely got work to do, though. _Casey snickered to himself as he watched Chuck recover. "Now, were you accessing new technique, or using what you flashed on with the Ring?"

_Did I flash anything new? _He reflected for a moment._ Nope. _"That was what was already in my head."

_Huh. Not bad for one style. _"Now, and I know I'm gonna hate the answer, but why kung fu?"

"Uh...nerd?" he answered sheepishly. "I think it was literally 'I wish I knew kung fu or something, so I could _help_ instead of just standing here.' And I flashed." _Wow, Chuck. That was...lame._

Casey raised an eyebrow. _Did he just say he _thought _of something and flashed? _"You can flash on command?" _This new Intersect is something else._

Chuck nodded. "Yeah, my dad explained how. I, uh, apparently I could've done it all along." _Oh crap. He's not gonna like that..._

Casey narrowed his eyes at Chuck as realization struck. Hard. _Are you kidding me? All those missions, all those screw-ups, and he could've flashed in Castle on command?! _Casey moved to smack Chuck in the back of the head when - _Holy crap._

Chuck looked at his hand as though it were a stranger. _Oh, this isn't good. _It was wrapped around Casey's arm, ready to twist. "Um, Casey? Maybe you shouldn't do that anymore." _Because I didn't respond, the Intersect did._

Casey paused and looked at his arm, and at Chuck's hand wrapped around it in perfect position to flip him. _Huh. Reflexes. Cool. _He grunted his agreement. _We'll have to work with that._

Chuck willed his hand to release Casey, and stared at it. _What the heck was that? I didn't even register Casey coming at me. _He twisted his hand over and back. _It still _looks _like my hand. But that was some crazy terminator type crap. _He looked up at Casey questioningly. "Um, Casey?"

"Reflexes, Bartowski, seems like yours have been...improved." _Aw damn, he looks genuinely _scared. Casey grumbled to himself, but he clapped a hand on Chuck's shoulder and forced his tone to something approximating comfort. "It's all right, Bartowski, we'll work on it. Now, how many fighting styles do you think you can fit up there?"

Chuck frowned. "I, uh, I have no idea. I guess a lot? It's still my brain, anyway." _Isn't it? _he wondered, as he clenched and unclenched his hand.

***

Sarah lay on the bed, exactly where she'd collapsed after Chuck left. She repeatedly scolded her fingers. _No. You will not be a silly schoolgirl, trying to capture his smell. _Despite her best efforts, they kept trying to grab the shirt Chuck had left behind.

_Besides, it's just Irish Spring, and Old Spice deodorant. Nothing fancy. Except for that Chuck smell. That kind of...Ugh! Quit it already! _

She sat up with a sigh, and grabbed for her phone to check the time. _What the -- _A message icon flashed insistently. _But I don't _get _text messaging on a government phone..._She scrolled through to check it, and found a text with no name or number, just a message. "We'll always have Omaha." _What the hell? That's..._She sat up straighter as she realized. _Off grid protocol. Damn it! _She shot out of the bedroom for her laptop. _Which was it...Cabo? Probably..._She logged onto a barely used email account, set up as the contact between her and Bryce years ago. _Nothing...nothing...oh boy._

_An attachment._

She rummaged through her purse and emerged with a jammer. Setting it up on the table, she opened the file.

"Hello, Sarah," Bryce said. "If you're watching this, that means I've been under too long, and you need to take this over for me. Sarah, there's something bigger than Fulcrum that we're fighting. They're called the Ring, and they're freaking everywhere. Maybe even Beckman. I haven't been able to clear her.

I'm so sorry to ask this of you, Sarah, because I know, even if _you _don't, that you're in love with Chuck, and that your spy days are pretty much over. But you're one of the only people I can trust.

I'm also going to guess with me gone, Chuck is or will soon be the Intersect 2.0. And if so...I'll say to you what I said to him -- I'm so sorry.

The new Intersect is a weapon, Sarah. Beckman won't tell you, but you have to know. Chuck is gonna need you, and Casey, and Orion. That's the team I started assembling for you.

But it's _your _team, Sarah. Your op. Orion has the intel. He'll be contacting Chuck soon for the password. But what happens after is in your hands. I have faith in you. I learned something important being on my own...it's not revenge or pride that motivates people to greatness or evil. It's love." Bryce shook his head and muttered, "I sound like a freaking Harry Potter book." Meeting the camera's lens directly again, he continued. "But seriously, I know that you're probably terrified of how you feel. Hell, I even took advantage of that. I'm sorry I did. Watching Chuck and his family...hell, it makes me remember why I got into this in the first place. Sure the intrigue and challenge is a rush, but it's all so regular people can live regular lives. You deserve that, Sarah. You deserve someone to love. Hopefully at the end of all this, you can have that. And Chuck...he's the best. He's the most genuinely good person I've ever known. Take care of him, Sarah, and more importantly, let him take care of you.

I've been trying to figure out who the Ring is, what they want. Best I can figure is they want power, control. Like real life Illuminati. And they're spies, which makes it even more difficult to unravel. Unfortunately I haven't gotten anywhere with the NSA. That's why you need to brief Casey. I figured if he got a message from me, he'd ignore it for spite. You'll know how far you can trust him, and if you can, you're gonna need him. I'll leave it to you to figure out who else, if anyone, to recruit.

And one last warning, Sarah. You may have to run, go off-grid. Be prepared. Don't trust anyone you're told to trust, just trust your instincts. It's been real, Mrs. Anderson." With a last smile, his image disappeared.

The QuickTime recording shut off. The mantra of _Oh no _that had begun when Bryce had started his warnings continued in her head as the sound of Sarah's tears filled the room.

***

Chuck lay sprawled on the floor, panting. _Jiu Jitsu is no joke! _"Casey, can we maybe call it for the day? I have lunch with the Awesomes." _And the start of a headache._

Casey leaned against the wall, smoking a cigar and looking supremely content. _This is gonna be fun, sparring all the time..._"Yeah, I know, I'll let you get cleaned up. But we're going to have to keep at it, we can't have you blanking in the middle of a fight to download something new."

"Yeah, I know. I wish the skills in the Intersect downloaded as easy as the information does." _Yet another 'what have I gotten myself into' moment..._Chuck peeled himself from the floor and headed to the bathroom before Casey stopped him.

"Bartowski. You want the back bedroom. Trust me." _And freak out in 3...2..._

"A jacuzzi?!"

Casey smirked. _Yeah, figured. _ "Walker has access to one, so I insisted. Cleaners brought that back too." _And thank the Gipper they did -- I hurt like hell. _"Don't make a mess or I'll kick your ass."

Chuck snorted. "I think you already did a couple of times, but I got it. No splashing -- you need it next." _Ahhh, needling Casey still feels good. _He met Casey's glare with a genuine half-smile. "Thanks for being willing to take this on, Casey. I appreciate it." _And I'd rather it be you._

He answered with a grunted number 12, 'don't mention it ever again.' "Hit the showers, Bartowski, your sister is a worse drill sergeant than I am." _Plus I'm starting to feel...well, _**feelings**. "We'll see what Beckman has planned for us tomorrow, but I'm happy to kick your ass on a regular basis." _Need to get my angry center back._

Chuck nodded as he backtracked and grabbed his clothes and wrist unit from the bathroom counter. "Never thought I'd say this, but me too, big guy." _Thank you, Intersect, for letting me hold my own._ With a sly smile he closed the back door.

Casey growled at the closed door. "No computer's gonna beat me," he muttered. He picked up his neglected cell and noticed two missed calls and a text from Walker. "Chuck with you?" she'd asked. _Oh hell. I'm no therapist. But I can't ignore my partner. Damn it. _With a sigh, he dialed her number.

***

Chuck lounged blissfully in the hot tub, letting heat and the jets work on his abused joints and muscles. _Knowing this is here will make the inevitable beatings easier to take. _He allowed himself a smirk, as he mentally added, _for both of us. _He rolled his neck and shrugged his shoulders. _Not too battered, I should be okay. _He sighed. _Physically, at least. What do I do about Sarah? Do I act like I want to? Do I lay off so I don't get Ellie's hopes up? _He sank a little deeper into the tub, closed his eyes and frowned.

A chirp sounded from somewhere in the room. _What was that? _He opened his eyes and looked around the room for a likely culprit. _No clock, no phone, no computer -- wait. _He opened his eyes and sat up in the tub as he looked towards his wrist unit suspiciously.

**Chirp**.

_Oh no. _He stood, shut off the jets, and grabbed a towel, drying off as he approached the unit cautiously. _Maybe the battery is low?_

_Yeah, right. And Casey's a ballerina._

He stepped back into his underwear and slacks as he picked it up. He keyed in the security code he'd set and looked at the screen. "Aces," it read. An IP address followed. He keyed it in and waited. _I was hoping to have just a little more time not to have to..._

A video chat window opened. "Hello, Charles," Orion said, a sad smile on his face. "I think we need to talk."

_Well, I guess break's over. _He sat and listened as his father began to speak.

***

Casey paced the empty living room as he waited for Walker to arrive. _Just what I need, moron in the back, weepy lady feelings in the front. Do I look like a freaking therapist? _He heard the jets in the back room shut off and sighed. _Great. Freaking fantastic. _

Ten minutes later, the doorbell sounded, and he yanked the door open. _Don't know why the hell he hasn't come out yet, but..._"He's still here, so save the weepy until -"

Sarah frowned. _Weepy? Me? Damn it, how much damage have I done to his image of me? _"That's not it at all," she interrupted. "We --"

Chuck burst out of the back room without warning, still shirtless, hair in dripping disarray. _What the -- Sarah?! _He shook his head, as he and Sarah locked gazes. _Damn it, Sarah, we can never get it right, can we..._

Sarah looked at him as her mouth went dry. _Get it together, Walker, it's just Chuck. Shirtless. Shiny and wet and..._She shook herself.

Both turned to Casey between them.

"We need to talk," they said to him simultaneously.

Casey barely suppressed a groan. _I must have died._

_Because this is my own personal hell._

* * *

**A.N.: **So, worth the wait? Either way, I'd love to know! Now to get Team Bartowski going, and Ellie's making lunch! ::scurries away::


	8. Briefly

**Chapter 7: Briefly**

**A.N.: **Okay, so I'm a touch worried that our kids are OOC in this chapter. If you agree, please forgive me, but I have to nudge them along. If not…thank goodness! :)

**Disclaimers previously. Still don't own Chuck.**

* * *

The sunlight snuck into the bedroom through the blinds as Ellie lay in bed, staring at her left hand. _I'm _married. _Dr. Ellie Woodcomb. Hmm. Maybe no name change, professionally. But..._She rolled towards Devon, sprawled and perfect beside her. She smiled a full Bartowski smile as she kissed her fingertips and laid them to his cheek. _Married. _She gently extricated herself from the bed as she moved to the kitchen. _If only Chuck and Sarah could have the same joy. _She surveyed the contents of the fridge with a critical eye as she contemplated what to make for lunch. _The way they looked at each other all night, and then they disappeared, before the reception was even over..._She stomped down the tiny bit of annoyance that bubbled up. _Poor Chuck...after I handed him off to Devon last night, I think we're even! _She smiled as inspiration struck. _Chicken piccata and pasta! We still have salad and chicken. Perfect. _She grabbed three lemons out of the fridge and set up the cutting board over the sink to start prep. As she glanced out the window, she did a double take and frowned.

_What the hell is Sarah doing at Casey's apartment? And where the hell is Chuck?_

***

Casey stood silently, glancing between the two of them locked in awkward silence. _If this is what it's gonna be from now on..._"All right, that's enough high school pining BS for a lifetime. If the two of you can't put aside the Romeo/Juliet routine long enough to work together, I'm pulling the plug and telling Beckman _now._" He glared at each in turn.

Sarah fought a chastened blush. _Damn it. I really have to figure this out, don't I. _She cleared her throat. "Sorry," she muttered.

Chuck sighed. _This is gonna suck. Unless..._"Me too." He nodded to Casey. "Give us a minute?"

_Aww hell. _Casey nodded and left the room.

_Here goes..._Chuck turned to Sarah. "Let's get this out now." _And hope I'm not making the biggest mistake of my life._

_**32.7 percent probability: sentiment accepted, no response**_

_**27.3 percent probability: sentiment accepted, reciprocity den--**_

_No! _Chuck shook off the Intersect and drew a deep breath.

"Sarah, I'm in love with you." _Oh god, I just said that out loud. _"I know you think you can't be with me. I disagree." _Completely. I think it's an excuse._ "I'm training with Casey, Sarah, and I'm going to learn to watch my own back with or without the Intersect's help." _Or yours, even. So you better think about what you want from me and us._ "It's driving me nuts knowing you must feel _something _for me or you would never have even thought about leaving the CIA." _And even more nuts that you're fighting it over semantics and fear._

Her heart thudded in her chest. _In love with me?! _"Chuck, I --"

He only held up a finger. "Sarah, let me, okay?" _I am as calm as I can ever hope to be while having this conversation. I have to say this _now_._ "The thought of what I may have just lost by doing the right thing makes me want to lobotomize myself, but I can't. This is where we are, Sarah, and I am going to do the best I can to be your partner, not your asset. But I'm also going to try to change your mind until I get there." _Because if I have to hold this in until you make up your mind, I might just implode. _He smiled a half-hearted Bartowski special. "Prepare to be wooed, Agent Walker."

_Wooed? _She blinked, struggling to wrap her mind around this new, confident Chuck. _In love with me? Okay, so maybe that one was obvious. _She blinked again. _This is Chuck 2.0, I guess. _She paused and gazed at him._ And I _like _it. _She moistened her lips to speak. "I...Chuck, I'm still confused and...frightened...of this thing between us. I don't -- I can't -- I can't lose you, Chuck. If you got hurt, I'd..." She shook her head. "I'm trying, you have to believe me. But, we've got bigger problems, and I can't deal with us while we're dealing with --"

"The Ring, yeah, I know, I have a pretty good idea of what brings you here. Bryce." Chuck sighed. "I got one too." _The man just can't leave me alone. Not even long enough to get a decent night's sleep._

_You did? And you didn't tell me? _"Oh. Well, I guess we shirt call Casey back," Sarah replied.

_Did she just say 'we _shirt _call Casey'? _He glanced down at his shirtless state and smiled, just a bit smugly. He cleared his throat to mask a laugh. "Um, I'm sorry, what?"

_What part of we shirt...oh _no_. _Her eyes flew to his, and the mischief and amusement dancing in them told the tale. _I really said that. Damn it. I am _so screwed_._

_Aww...she looks mortified. _Chuck only smiled knowingly. "Case, we're good," he called behind him. _More than good. _"Um, and can you, uh, grab my shirt?" _As enjoyable as being a distraction to Sarah is, I should probably give her a break._

Casey emerged from the back room, Chuck's shirt in hand. _Huh. Faster than I figured. Thank goodness. _Casey handed off the clothing as he rejoined the two suspiciously.

As Chuck shrugged back into it, Sarah forced her eyes away. _My op, _Sarah reminded herself. "Casey, we both need to talk to you. We," and she nodded towards Chuck, "have both received messages from Bryce Larkin posthumously and, well...

We have a problem."

***

Orion paced the basement as he waited for Charles to re-establish contact. _I don't understand why he wouldn't just talk to me alone! _He finally sat down and sighed.

_Maybe because he still trusts them a little more than he trusts you. Maybe because they're an actual _team.

He poured himself a scotch and tried yet again to flash on the password prompt. _I thought we got all the existing languages in the Intersect, damn it! _He drained the glass and put his feet up, breathing deeply. _You can't blame Charles for being wary. I'm sure the probability programming is involved._

_Oh hell._

_Seduction programming. I bet just _looking _at Sarah Walker gives him a migraine. All those probabilities scrolling by..._

Orion snorted. _Never a dull moment for you, my boy. No matter how hard I've tried. _He keyed up pictures from the wedding of Ellie and Chuck, smiling, peaceful. _And I tried so hard, Charles, I truly did. _

He heaved a sigh as the familiar weight of loss and failure landed on his shoulders, and settled in to wait.

***

Casey chomped on his cigar angrily as he paced the empty living room. _Like this whole thing isn't a problem? _"What the hell did that jack—" _don't speak ill of the dead, Casey! _"--of all trades have to say now?" _He can't just _stay dead_, can he?_ He clenched and unclenched his jaw. _Should've gotten it right the first time I --_

"Casey!" Sarah said sharply. _Looks like Bryce's instinct was accurate...Wait. _She shook her head and blew out a breath. Looking down, she muttered, just a touch louder than a whisper, "Guess Bryce was right."

Casey pulled up short. "_What _did you just say, Walker?" _Did she just say that little weasel was _right? _About _me?! He glared at her.

Chuck coughed to cover his laugh. _Masterfully played, Agent Walker. The Intersect concurs with your strategy. And so do I._

_Gotcha. _Sarah looked up at Casey, mock chagrin on her face. "I, uh...nothing." She shook her head for emphasis, turning overly innocent doe eyes on him. _So far, going perfectly._

"Yeah, right," Casey grumbled. "I bet he said I'd be too stupid and bullheaded to listen. Well, I'm listening, all right?" _Against my better judgment. _He moved to the window, still nursing the cigar.

_This is going to be a pain, _Sarah reflected. _Unless I get him past the Bryce aspect of it. _She looked over to Chuck. _Here's hoping Chuck 2.0 catches the drift. _Sarah looked back to Casey. "All right. As stated, Chuck and I both received communications from Agent Larkin, programmed to send from an off-grid system."

Casey snapped to attention at that. _Off grid? Oh hell._

_Definitely have your ear now. _Sarah continued, "The communication I received was basic -- it turned control of a covert solo operation Agent Larkin had undertaken to m- to Team Bartowski. Agent Larkin specifically identified _you_, Casey, as an integral element of a successful op. Agent Larkin was unable to cultivate any NSA contacts."

Casey snorted. _Of course not, who would want to work with that pretty boy know-it-all?_ He nodded for Sarah to continue.

"Agent Larkin indicated that he had been gathering intel regarding the Ring during his op with Fulcrum." _And here's the kicker. _"He further indicated that he was unable to definitively clear certain upper echelon personnel within the CIA or NSA. Including General Beckman."

Casey blinked slowly. _Excuse me? _ He took a pull from the cigar, blew a slow and deliberate smoke ring out the window. "Is that so," he stated calmly. _Could she really be Ring? _He chewed on the cigar thoughtfully as he re-examined orders and missions. _If one of my own men could be..._He frowned. _Damn it. _

_I wish I could say something, _Sarah sighed to herself, _but you don't sympathize with Casey._

"Sorry, Casey," said Chuck earnestly. _And I truly mean that. You don't deserve any of this.  
_

Sarah's startled gaze snapped to Chuck's face, but he focused exclusively on Casey.

"I know you're probably still sore about Miles," he continued. _I can't blame you for that at all. _"But I can't get anything out of the Intersect to clear Beckman, either. Which is why Bryce told me _specifically _that I need you to help me. You're our only in at the NSA." _Not like I needed Bryce to tell me that. And, happy to back you up, Sarah, _he thought as he shot her a nod.

_Correction. You don't sympathize with Casey unless you're Chuck Bartowski. _Sarah shook her head once in disbelief. "We need you on this, Casey. We are going to be second-guessing everything from here on out and we need to all be on board with that." _Translation: trust no one. _"I don't know what the intel says, that's Orion's deal, so-"

"I can fill that in," Chuck interjected. "But I was waiting until you filled Casey in. I, um, I told my dad I'd call him back."

Casey laughed. _Only Bartowski. _"You told Orion, supergenius hacker and programmer, you'd call him back?" _And he didn't electrocute you through the phone?_

_A Casey laugh! Victory! _"Well, first, he's my dad, so, of course. But more important, why brief me when he could brief our team as a whole?" Chuck turned to Casey with a confused expression. _And we should be set. _

Casey glared at Chuck and Sarah in turn. _They really think they're smart, huh. _"Don't think I don't know you two are playing me to make sure I'm in. These traitors made a fool of me once and killed my men. I was in before you even asked." _I've got a few scores to settle. _"Can't say I'm happy about Beckman. I'm sorrier still that I can see how some of her orders could be...questionable. So what're we waiting for?"

"Well, we need a secure, off-grid location. Orion and Bryce both said to be wary, so I don't want to take even the slightest chance -- no offense, Casey! -- that your equipment is compromised," Chuck answered. "And I think I have an idea on that one."

***

_In the dream, he could smell pancakes, and syrup, and freshly cooked bacon. The drapes were a pale pink as they swayed in the spring breeze through the kitchen of their ranch-style house. Ellie was on tiptoes at the center island to watch her mother measure and stir and flip. Chuck sat in a high chair at the table, babbling to himself. Amanda hummed while she cooked, he'd always loved the sound. The tune was nothing special, a little lullabye of hers. But it was the sweetest sound in the world. "Stephen! Honey, come on, that computer junk will rot your brain. Come have some breakfast with us." She smiled at him, and he was smitten as always. Who cared if the pattern recognition program took another year or two? His family wouldn't, couldn't, be second-best. Amanda wouldn't settle for less, and she was always right about that…_

_**Chirpbeep. Chirpbeep. Chirpbeep.**_

Orion bolted upright in his seat. _Damn it, fell asleep! Again! I'm too old for this spy stuff. _He keyed in his security code and the IP address provided. _Good, private connection. _"Orion, secure."

"Team Barwalksey, secure," came Chuck's answer.

Orion heard snorted laughter as the video struggled to focus. "What?" came Chuck's voice. "This is _our_ op, it's not about me."

Orion fought back laughter as Casey snorted again. "Too many gossip rags around at Walker's? Everything has to have a special uniname?"

"Can it, Casey!" came Sarah's indignant voice. "Not _my _fault I can't read mission briefings at the counter of the Orange Orange, okay?"

Orion allowed himself a smile. _My Charles has made himself a family. Dysfunctional, but a tight-knit unit. He's going to need it. _The camera finally focused, zoomed and resolved. He blinked. "Charles? Why does it look like you three are in a vault?"

Chuck gave a half-smile. "Well, Dad, we kind of…are. I, um, didn't exactly spend _all_ of the money the government gave me on Ellie's wedding. I, uh...I rented a building to start my own software and gaming company. Just so happened to have a vault for servers and other electronics."

Casey and Walker both glared at Chuck.

"I'm guessing today is the first Agent Walker and Colonel Casey have heard of this?" Orion asked, eyebrow raised. _I underestimated you, son, I stand corrected._

Chuck gulped and nodded. "Yeah. They're, um, a little annoyed about that." He turned to glare back at them. "But I did this as part of Ellie's wedding present, I knew she was worried about me and I wanted to show her I was really serious about moving on with my life." _And maybe I wanted to show me too._ "I had already sent the inquiry _before _I downloaded 2.0 and it made sense to go through with it, especially since it was in that window of time before my life becomes the Truman Show again. I'm not going back to the BuyMore. No way." _I can't. I won't be that aimless schnook, stuck in a dead end job. Not anymore. _"Plus, hide in plain sight. I'm going to constantly be surrounded by computers and electronics, so it'll be easy to keep clean systems. We'll control who has access and swap out machines if we have to. I'm sure between the two of us," Chuck nodded towards Orion, "we can make sure that the right signals are going to the right places." _I am going to participate in my own life, damn it, and the government can just deal with it!_

Orion smiled. "That's my boy." _Or, actually, that's my son, finally becoming his own man._

***

_Okay. Sarah shows up at Casey's. Chuck must've been there already. Which is already weird. They all left together. Even though I've never seen any sign Sarah and Casey know each other. But the two of them were following after Chuck. Who was wearing a long sleeved shirt, which I've pretty much never seen before. And he was obviously leading that little cluster. _Ellie stared out the window, as if the mysteries would unravel themselves somewhere in the courtyard.

Devon emerged from the bedroom with an awesome yawn and an equally awesome stretch. "Hey babe," he said sleepily, wrapping an arm around Ellie's waist and pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Or should I say, _Missus_ Babe." _And that wedding night? Awesome..._He paused when Ellie didn't respond. "Hello?" _I hope I didn't wear her out...totally not awesome..._"Babe, you in there?"

Ellie shook herself from her reverie as his voice finally penetrated her thoughts. "Oh my goodness, hi, Devon, so sorry." She turned in his arms to face him and kissed him as he encircled her. "I can't be neglecting my husband already." She smiled at that. _Husband. Still feels good. _She quickly went serious. "Honey, do you have any idea why Chuck and Sarah would be over at Casey's? And actually, why would Chuck be there first? And why on Earth would they follow him like he's in charge? And, why Chuck was wearing long sleeves? It wasn't the shirt from the wedding either. I've never even seen it. I mean, he almost looked completely different. Well, except for the animal shapes in his hair...it's really time for a haircut- Devon? Honey? You okay?"

Devon remained frozen where he was, arms braced on the counter on either side of her, as he looked from her to Casey's apartment, panic in his eyes. _Not awesome, __**not awesome, **__don't screw it up, you have to be awesome- _"Not a clue, babe! Video games? Comic-Con! James Bond?" He closed his eyes in disgust. _That rhymed. RHYMED._

_Ugh. _Totally _not awesome..._

* * *

**A.N.: **That was too much fun. :) OOC? Maybe. But do I care? Nope.

Well, okay, to the extent that my fair readers _object _to the OOC stuff...

I know! Review! That way I can learn. Improve. Absorb. Evolve.

IT'S ALIVE! ::scurries away again::

P.S. Go see District 9 if you're a science fiction fan. I saw it last night. Very good, and _different._ (And no, I don't know anyone who'd profit from a bunch of people going to see it. Just the bunch of people who do see it will benefit. Because it's good.) /end plug


	9. Decisions, Decisions

**Chapter 8: Decisions, Decisions**

**A.N.: **I just wanted to again thank my readers and reviewers. I'm having a blast writing this, and I'm just thrilled people are enjoying it! :)

* * *

"Is the remote connection active, Charles?" Orion waited expectantly, peering out at them from the projection screen temporarily mounted on the wall of the vault. _This ought to be enlightening..._

Chuck keyed a few more commands into his laptop. _I knew a custom built unit would be handy sometime. Didn't quite think of covert ops against the government. Programming, maybe, or hacking, even..._"Active, waiting for input." The computer screen in front of him showed a window opening and a clone of the password prompt screen appeared. _Oh geez, Bryce. Seriously?_

Casey and Sarah frowned over his shoulder.

"What the hell is that?" Casey asked. "Sure that computer isn't broken?" _'Cause that sure doesn't look like English._

Both Chuck and Orion frowned at him. "Um, yeah, Casey," Chuck answered, "it's fine and actually it's-"

"Klingon, isn't it." Sarah stood up, looked towards the camera. "Orion? Is that Klingon?"

Orion only blinked. _Seriously?_

Chuck smiled, utterly bemused. _Sarah Walker, you are full of surprises. _"You're right, Sarah, it's Klingon. How did you...?"

She smirked. "After that heart attack you and Bryce gave me, I looked into it. Languages are my thing, and if you and Bryce knew it, I figured I should too. vaj jIH."** _Now I sound lame and jealous. Great._

Chuck stared at her wide-eyed. _Really? For me? _"Can you learn Elvish? I could never..." Chuck trailed off as his eyes glazed over for a moment. _Whoa. _He looked up at his father. "Or, _I_ just did. Um, Dad?"

_He doesn't know what the Intersect does either? _Stephen's heart clenched as he realized just how blind they were all flying. _Oh, Charles...I never wished this for you..._"I know Agent Larkin and General Beckman developed new programming for the Intersect. Language seems a likely inclusion," Orion answered calmly.

Casey looked from Chuck to Sarah to Orion and frowned. _What the hell have we gotten ourselves into? _"How many are we talking?" _Aw hell. _Casey shot Chuck a preemptive glare, as Chuck smiled. _Stupid pun._

Orion shrugged. _I wish I knew. _"I would guess all of them, real, dead, and fictional, were programmed in." He turned his attention to his son. "Charles, how would you categorize that flash?"

"That would be a skill flash," Chuck answered. When Casey nodded understanding, Chuck swallowed hard. _Casey knows something Sarah doesn't. Great_. He turned sheepishly to Sarah. "Info flashes scroll like the news ticker. But skill flashes are more like the old flashes -- I lose focus and control and when it's done, I can do whatever it is. Like speak fluent Elvish, or do kung fu."

Orion nodded. "Then I would definitely say that all known languages are in there. Skill flashes are longer because there's more to absorb, it's like a system update, so the programming limits the downloads and keeps most of it in passive storage. Information is already necessarily limited in scope, so it can 'scroll', as Charles described, and is less intense." _At least I know _something_ about 2.0._

_Thanks for the explanation, but_...Sarah frowned, stung. _Casey knew something about Chuck and the Intersect that I didn't? What else did I miss to their little male bonding ritual?_

Casey caught the look on her face and snorted. _Are you kidding me? Look at 'Woe is me' Walker._ _Enough already. _"Can the kicked puppy routine, Walker, you and Chuckles here had your private Brycie-poo moment so you can't whine that we learned a few things while training." _And will probably continue to do so_. "I've refrained from kicking your asses for keeping me out of the loop_ yet again_ so you can quit looking like I threw out your blankie."

_What?! _Sarah whirled on Casey. "Excuse me?"

Casey leaned against a wall, arms folded, a dangerous gleam in his eye. "You heard me." _Turnabout is fair play, Walker. I thought we were _partners_._

_Of all the damn nerve..._Sarah opened her mouth to reply-

"Hey, back off, Casey. I didn't even tell Sarah when I got the message from Bryce. And that was in the van when I was sitting-"_ with his dead body. _"In the back," he finished lamely. _We have _got _to get this Bryce stuff out of the way._

Sarah and Casey once again frowned at each other and glared at Chuck.

Sarah clenched her fists. _Are you kidding me? _"Chuck, is there some reason why you didn't tell us this, exactly?" she bit out. _Especially with everything else that was said between us last night and this morning._

Chuck tightened his jaw. _Hmmm...why wouldn't I want to tell Sarah, who loved him, or Casey, who loathed him, that Bryce was running a rogue op that we were about to inherit? Why wouldn't I want to tell them about how Beckman might be part of the Ring? Or that Bryce was unsure of the Intersect? That this thing in my head might not have my best interests in its calculations, might actually _kill me_ without any hesitation if that's what the probabilities dictated? Why wouldn't I be eager to say that my father was on his way to find the information and intel that Bryce hid from everyone for two damn years? That we were __even more in the dark__ than we knew? Why wouldn't I be absolutely running to share all of this__ inspiring and lighthearted news__? _An unfamiliar anger welled through him as he burst out, "Because I knew it'd come out eventually and I wanted _every moment_ I could possibly squeeze out of my life to be _normal! _And I knew telling _either_ of you about this guaranteed that would be over. We'd have been hunting for my dad and rehashing _every_ mission, and I just wanted a _break_. _Sue me."_

_**0.02 percent probability lawsuit filed**_

_**15.6 percent probability argument ended**_

_**38.2 percent probability argument pursued**_

_**8.7 percent probability --**_

Chuck shook his head violently to dismiss the Intersect and pressed a hand to his temple. _This is getting really old_. _I would _never _lash out like that. It's like_..."I don't even know if I'm in control anymore," he whispered.

Sarah looked to Casey, equal parts worry and anger. _Did something happen with Casey? _She quirked a brow at him.

Casey sourly pursed his lips and nodded at the question in her eyes. _Damn it, I didn't realize how shaken up he was. Lady feelings strike again. _"It's okay, Chuck, you didn't hurt me and we'll work on it," he said quietly.

_What the hell could've happened? Casey's acting...human_. Sarah watched as Chuck looked down at his hands and clenched his right fist. _Couldn't have been good._ "I'm sorry, Chuck," Sarah murmured contritely. _You're absolutely right. We would've jumped on the Beckman thing and taken your last few hours away._

Chuck swallowed hard and sighed as he rubbed tiredly at his forehead. _I just wanted to remember what it was like to be an average, anonymous guy. To pretend just for a little bit that I had a real life, with real choices, and maybe, _his eyes darted to Sarah, _a real girl who loves me._ "Thanks, guys. I just needed some time. I'm sorry." _I can't believe I did that, to Casey, to Sarah. What was I thinking, uploading this thing? I've got to get this under control, I can't hurt anyone else who cares about me.  
_

Sarah stepped up to him and laid a hand on his shoulder. _How could I forget he's still just Chuck?_ "Don't apologize. I think you take to all this spy stuff so naturally now that it's hard to remember you didn't ask for it. And even though you chose to upload 2.0, even _that_ wasn't really a choice. You're a good person, Chuck. You wouldn't have _seen _any other choice." _Why do you think I don't want to save the world anymore? You're worth the world, and then some. _

He looked up at her then, and the hope, love, and despair in his eyes nearly brought her to her knees. _Oh, Chuck..._She squeezed his shoulder, and tried to let her faith in him shine in her overly bright eyes as they locked gazes.

Stephen watched the scene unfold with his heart in his throat. _What I wouldn't give to have kept you free of this world, Charles. I'm so sorry. You were so close to __getting away from it__. But you have your mother's heart, that open heart that finds the wounded and takes them in as your own. _He sighed as he looked at his son's handlers. _And those two were definitely wounded. __Though__, not so much anymore. _Stephen swallowed against his sorrow. _I'm proud of you, son. _

Casey cleared his throat uncomfortably. _Hate to break this up but there's way too much touchy-feely for me. _He rolled his neck awkwardly as Chuck's gaze darted to his.

Chuck laid a hand over Sarah's and squeezed. "Thanks," he said softly. _That actually feels better, to have vented that, finally. _"Sorry, Dad."

Orion nodded. "So, does the prompt mean anything to you?"

Chuck frowned. _I'm guessing yes and no wouldn't be a helpful answer. _"Well, it means 'the best' in Klingon. And I'm guessing since it's for me to know, that he's referring to the epic debate we had over who the greatest comic book hero ever is. It took a week of debate and we still didn't agree." He sighed. "That's the problem -- I don't know if he wants _his_ answer or mine."

Orion frowned in return. "I would think he would constantly change the password. This was just the last prompt he put in. I would guess the answer would be whatever Bryce, as last you met, would want."

_Oh, that's helpful. _Chuck sighed. _As last we met...Bryce offered himself for Ellie, he tried to take Sarah with him, he told me she wasn't leaving with him, he tried to help Sarah and Casey when he was dying, and tried to have me destroy the Intersect, giving me a _choice_ this time about whether to upload it myself. And in his message, he apologized for it if I did. I think...I think maybe he grew up. _"Peter Parker," he said quietly. "Try Peter Parker."

_He sounded weird when he said that. _Sarah tensed as she saw his shoulders sag. _What is going on?_

Orion frowned, but typed. "Spiderman? Really? That doesn't seem like a Bryce answer." He blinked. "But it worked."

Chuck sighed. _Yet another piece of the puzzle that was Bryce Larkin. _"That's because it wasn't his answer," Chuck explained. "It was _mine_."

_Huh? _Sarah looked from Chuck to Orion, hoping for clarification.

Casey cleared his throat behind her. _Damn it, Larkin, leave the boy alone._ "Regular guy, just stumbled into superpowers, screwed up when he first got them, learned with great power comes great responsibility, and saves the world in total anonymity. In fact, saving the world gets him in trouble in just about every other part of his life. Sound familiar?" he quietly intoned.

Sarah wilted. _Oh, Chuck..._

As if he sensed her thought, he turned sad eyes to her. "He really cared about me, Sarah. He..." _Whatever else he was, he cared. Mistaken or not, he __really__ tried to protect me. And he _believed_ in me. I pretty much _told_ him he could send me the Intersect with that answer__, and he took me at my word__. Guess Bryce and I _were_ Peter and Harry, just not how I thought..._He swiped a hand down his face. "And he's gone." _It's up to us now. _He looked at his father and at the remote window on his computer screen. "We have to bring them down."

***

"Status," Beckman barked. _The less I have to deal with this, the better._

"Facility is complete. Training area, Castle provisions, complete surveillance, including Castle. Secured lines directly under your control." _Or so you'll believe._

"Good. I don't have to tell you how crucial it is that we have complete control of the facility and asset at all times." _Or as much control as we can get with Bartowski._

"Don't be coy, Diane, I'm the last person you need to tell." _And well you know it. _The voice on the phone was biting, bitter.

Beckman clenched her fist and took a deep breath. _You're an idiot, Diane. _"I know. That was petty of me. I -- I apologize."

A harsh laugh answered her. "Are you choking? Or has hell frozen over? Diane Beckman, apologizing, to _me_? Will wonders never cease? Being petty is the least of your sins, Diane." _And so many perpetrated against me and mine_...

Beckman gritted her teeth. _Bartowski can't be trained soon enough. _"Are you quite finished?"

"Yes, yes. I need to get my fun as I can. After all, it's your fault I am as I am." A pause followed. "Wire the money as usual. I'll be anxiously awaiting whatever else you need." There was a catch in the voice at 'anxiously awaiting'. _The worst part is, I really will be_...

The dial tone in her ear told Beckman the conversation was unequivocally over. _The stupid things we do, for the stupidest of reasons..._She lit a cigarette, took a drag, and sighed.

***

In a room in a house in a place, a lone figure stared at the telephone, then around at the myriad of monitors and speakers circling the room. _Well, I never promised not to keep __a__ hand in..._

***

Orion and Chuck examined the information on the computer. Pictures, video, surveillance logs were categorized by person of interest, date, mission. "This is going to take a while," Orion said bluntly. "We may not even have a place to start for a day. Hopefully there's a chronology somewhere."

Chuck frowned. _I can't imagine Bryce would want to leave us floundering. _He clicked around the desktop. "Um, Dad?" He held the mouse pointer over a folder marked "For Chuck". "How much did Bryce know about the Intersect programming? Was the update he gave me from you?"

_I see what he's thinking. _"He asked how to compile the images and information if that's what you're asking. You think...?"

"That he programmed an update with all this data? Yeah, I suspect he at least tried." _The question is whether he got it right..._Chuck turned to Sarah and Casey. "Close your eyes, guys, Dad and I have this one."

Sarah looked to Casey, and at his nod, closed her eyes. _I don't like this. _

_I don't like this, but getting knocked out is worse. _Casey closed his eyes as well.

Chuck nodded to his father, and opened the file. _Here we go. _The initial screen loaded: "CLOSE YOUR EYES IF YOU'RE NOT CHUCK", it warned. _I knew it. _Images flew past in a blur as Chuck and Orion uploaded two years worth of Bryce's records.

Behind closed eyes, Sarah struggled to marshal herself. _Why is this so hard? Focus on the mission. That's what I'm trained to do. Why can't I just push everything else away? I'm supposed to be the best. Have I lost it?_ She took advantage of Casey's closed eyes to tiredly cover her face with her hands, and rubbed her temples in frustration.

Casey breathed deeply and evenly as he had trained to do in times of stress. _Are they finished yet? I feel like a freaking pansy over here, hiding. I don't hide. I _do_ stuff. And what the hell have I gotten myself into here? Lady feelings? Reassurance? Have I really lost my edge?_ His fists clenched and unclenched reflexively as he swallowed past the lump in his throat. _There's no way. I am a badass, and no BuyMoron will change it._

Chuck gasped as the upload ended. _Holy crap. This is not going to be good, or easy. The freaking _President_ might be Ring. What the hell did I get myself into? _He looked at the screen at his father...

...and saw him slumped at the desk, blood trickling slowly from his nose.

"Dad? _Dad?!"_

***

_**Dun dun duuuuuuuuuuun...To be continued!**_

**A.N.**: Okay, so maybe that wasn't nice of me. But it just had to happen. Come on, you know it did. You disagree? Really? Well, review and tell me all about it! :)

_** _So I learned_._


	10. Assumption of the Risk

**Chapter Nine – Assumption of the Risk**

**A.N. : **Wanted to get one more update in before vacation, but I think Chuck and Orion were annoyed with me! I promise I tried, hopefully you'll forgive me after you read...Away we go!

* * *

Chuck paced the floor in frustration, furiously entering commands to track Orion's wrist unit. _I know I_'_ve almost got it_..._I can see he_'_s still breathing_..._come on, come on_...

A cough sounded from the screen, and Orion groggily rose from the table, swiping at his nose. _Oh no_... He looked at Chuck to see his son frozen in place, staring at the screen. _I must_'_ve been a sight. _"I'm all right," he sighed. _I really did not want to get into this at this point._

"What _was _that?" _And is that going to happen to me? _Chuck fought down panic as he stared intently at his father.

_Damn it, I knew he would worry. _"The result of being young, stupid, and not as talented as you." Orion sighed, as he mopped his brow. "My pattern recognition scores were decent, but they weren't yours. Actually, I warned Agent Larkin about the same thing, once upon a time..." He shook himself. _Don_'_t linger on Larkin, not good for you or Charles. _"You know what happens to candidates who don't meet the criteria. I was just barely good enough to attempt it."

Chuck narrowed his eyes at his father. _And what does that mean, exactly? _"Dad...how long do you have before you do permanent damage?"

Orion was silent.

***

Ellie chopped and sauteed and seasoned as she pondered. _What was with Devon and the rhyming? So weird. _She looked out the window again at Casey's apartment. _They haven't come back either. _Her eyes narrowed as she frowned. _Those two better not miss lunch -- I'll kill them. _She looked at Devon again, doing his crunches in the anti-grav boots. _Could he be hiding..._She snorted lightly as she watched him. _Nah, he can't possibly know anything._

Devon pushed himself to 100 reps after his food and drink exploits of the evening before. _Just look awesome. You can distract her. She'll never know. Though, where _was_ Chuck going? Guess whatever happened last night isn't over yet?_ He hit 100 and unbuckled himself from the boots. "Hey, babe, you okay?"

Ellie shrugged. _Define okay. _"Yeah, I guess. I mean, it's not unreasonable that Sarah and Casey know each other, since she works in the plaza with them. Who knows, maybe Chuck was just taking them both somewhere. Though he'd better make it back for lunch!" She frowned. "And speaking of lunch, I should call my dad. Haven't seen him this morning -- have you?"

_Huh..._"No, babe, haven't seen him at all. Guess he just wanted to give us our space. Speaking of..." He stepped to her and wrapped an arm around her waist as he leaned in for a kiss. _While we have the privacy..._

"Devon! Sweat! Gross!" Ellie shouldered him off and kissed him in apology. _Plus, not done thinking yet._ "Shower, then we'll see. I'm going to call my dad."

***

_Are you kidding me? Permanent damage?_ Chuck glared at his father. "Why did you even take the upload then? If you knew?"

Stephen sighed. _Like I've ever done the smart thing. _"Because I want to help, Charles, and this is the fastest way to do it."

"Can you even flash?" Chuck demanded. _Is this my future? Is this Intersect going to _literally_ kill me?_

Orion nodded. "Yes, I can flash. It's painful, but possible." _He looks unconvinced._ "And Charles, you should know that I have no concerns that you would suffer the same fate as me. Your test scores were impeccable, that's why Fleming wanted you. You would've been the perfect candidate for Omaha." _But you wouldn't have been _you _after that._

Chuck ran a hand down his face. "Where are you, Dad?" he asked tiredly. _Please say somewhere close enough for me to come get you._

"I'm in..." He trailed off as a trilling bell sounded. _Where is that darn..._ He patted down his pockets until he came up with the prepaid cell phone Ellie had pressed upon him. _Such a caretaker, my Eleanor..._As he looked down at the display, he sighed. _It was only a matter of time._ "Charles, it's Eleanor."

***

Ellie listened impatiently to the rings, counting down to voicemail. _Are you kidding me? Did he really just up and leave again? _She tapped the spatula impatiently against the side of the skillet and sighed. _Well, at least he made it to the wedding. Actually, to _both _of them. Barely._ "Ugh!" She hung up the phone and pressed the back of her hand to her forehead. _And this is why we learned never to rely on anyone but ourselves. _She heard the water shut off in the bathroom and smiled slightly. _Well, maybe that_'_s not so true, anymore._

***

Chuck and his father stood frozen as the phone continued to ring. When it finally ceased, they all took a breath.

_Oh crap. _"What time is it?" Chuck turned to Sarah, panicked. _Ellie will murder us both if we're late..._

_Oh no, Ellie's lunch..._Sarah looked down at her watch. "We're fine, it's only 12:15. We need to be there at 1, right?" _Get a grip, Walker, you're _genuinely _worried! _She frowned. _Chuck's not the only one who's got me compromised..._

"Yeah," Chuck sighed. _Thank goodness_. "Dad, you have to tell me where you are. And you have to promise me you won't try to flash! It's not worth hurting yourself if we can't even do anything until after lunch. Just..." _I just watched someone die last night, I don't want a repeat. _"Promise me."

Orion sighed. _Well, I can always do this the hard way. There are actual files, after all. _"Fine, Charles, not until you get back in contact."

"And _where are you?_" Chuck asked again.

Orion only smiled. "That one you can figure out yourself, my boy. That wrist unit should've found me by now."_ Or should I say, I have allowed it to find me by now._

Chuck looked down at his wrist with a frown. "Moab? Utah? Seriously? Bryce?"

_**An American flag**_

_**A bunker**_

_**A teddy bear**_

_**An Intersect facility**_

_**An arms cache**_

_**A close up of an eye**_

Chuck blinked. "I guess Bryce was on to something. Apparently there's a bunker and an Intersect facility in Moab."

***

Beckman fought back a scream as she paced her office. _Where the hell are they? We need to start _immediately_. I'm not going to have this Sword of Damocles over my head any longer than I have to. I've done my part, I've played my role to perfection. They don't suspect a thing. _She sat at her desk again and looked at the computer screen. _But the team is completely off grid, and I do _not _approve!_

She opened the file on her desk again. _This mission was tailor made for a field run of the Intersect. If they haven't gone off the grid on purpose, that is. I can't believe I didn't prepare for that... _She grimly lit a cigarette and waited for her screen to light up.

***

Sarah and Casey stared at Chuck in shock.

"I'm sorry, _what?_" Sarah asked the question slowly, deliberately. "Did you just tell me there's a bunker and Intersect facility in Moab?" _Is that where you would've ended up?_

Chuck nodded. _Thanks for that, Bryce..._"Apparently Bryce heard chatter about a lot of military activity in Moab, Utah, and he came in to investigate, about two months later. He located a bunker and what could only be an Intersect facility -- a room entirely comprised of LCD screens. That's why he decided to set up his safe house on the outskirts." Chuck swallowed to moisten his suddenly dry mouth. "Just in case I ended up there." He looked over to his father. "Can you get a satellite scan of the coordinates? It's on the computer, file codenamed Longshore."

_Longshore? _Sarah looked at Chuck in question. "Did Bryce..."

"I'm guessing he found out after the fact and renamed it. He probably wanted me to recognize it, since his intention all along was for me and my dad to have the data if anything happened to him." _And thus guarantee I am totally and completely enmeshed in all this. How much did Bryce know about what was going on with me? Did he _deliberately _show up when he did? _

_**63.2 percent probability Larkin's timing deliberate**_

_**26.5 percent probability coincidental**_

_**10.3 percent probability mission directives determined timing**_

Chuck rubbed at his temples. _Helpful._

Casey grunted, oblivious to Chuck's thoughts. _Maybe Larkin _wasn't _completely useless. _"Well, at least now we know if Beckman offers you a getaway at a ranch, _run_."

Chuck smiled humorlessly. "Thanks, Casey." _Like I don't already have enough to worry about with Beckman._ "I think we should get out of here for now, maybe regroup later." _After I've gotten this knot out of my stomach. _"Dad, just computer research, _please_..."

Orion nodded. "No use pushing myself when I can't do anything until you get back." _And that_'_s pretty much the only reason. Otherwise, you couldn't stop me._

_Good enough_, Chuck decided. "Thanks." _Next problem..._"So, uh, what do you want me to tell Ellie?"

***

The ride back to the apartment was silent. All of them had received Beckman's summons upon exit, and none could seem to muster the will to respond.

"I'll do it." Casey's low tone whipped Sarah and Chuck's attention to him. _If we're gonna play, let's play. _"I'll tell her you two are off reinforcing your covers again, see what the mission is. Get in touch when you're done."

Chuck swallowed. _This must suck for him, to have to question every order, every mission..._"Thanks, Casey. Listen, I'm sorry-"

Casey waved him off. "Let's just get on with it, the sooner I can weed out some traitors and beat some people into submission, the happier my angry center will be." _Unleash the Casey, with extreme prejudice. _His smile was predatory, dangerous. _Semper fi, men. I'm taking care of it. _He called in on the secure line as Sarah and Chuck listened anxiously.

"Casey, secure. Yes, General. No, ma'am, I was unaware I was off grid. No, completely unintentional. I believe I may have exceeded range for communications. A lower basement, ma'am, exploring possible locations for a Castle facility. Respectfully, ma'am, I cannot return to the BuyMore. No, ma'am, I am not being insubordinate. I am stating that John Casey, after terminating employment, could not plausibly return to that former employer without raising undue suspicion. Yes, ma'am, I will of course take orders. Walker and Bartowski are going to the wedding brunch. No, not all afternoon. 1600 briefing, yes, General." He hung up and tossed the phone on the dashboard with a grimace. "We're on again tonight, kids, so keep the kissy face to a minimum at Bartowski's."

_Shouldn't be a problem, _Chuck sighed as he looked to Sarah.

Sarah stared out the window at the passing scenery. _If only..._

***

"So then he told me he had to take care of his trailer and would be back in touch soon," Chuck finished, as Ellie looked on in disbelief. _Please just buy it, El..._

Ellie pursed her lips. _If it weren't for the fact I know my father is crazy, I'd think Chuck was lying_ _to me. _She blew out a breath slowly. _But he wouldn't lie to me, and our father _is _nuts. _"He could've picked up the phone, at least," she muttered as she passed the pasta to Sarah.

_Yeah, I know. Instead of making me lie to you. _"I know, El, but I think he's kind of scared of you," Chuck explained. "I think he knows how badly he screwed up but doesn't know how to deal." _Not an entirely unfamiliar concept in my life, unfortunately._ "He can't really communicate, for some reason." _Wonder if my grandfather was a con man like Sarah_'_s dad? Chuck thought sarcastically._ Thoughts drifting, he added, "And just denies any emotions." _Even when it_'_s _totally clear_ that she_'_s feeling something_."Which is ridiculous." _Makes me crazy trying to figure out if I_'_m reading her right and she_'_s lying, or if I can_'_t read her at all._ Unaware how animated he'd become, Chuck continued, "And puts on an act like everything is fine, and refuses to admit if it's not." _She gets all angry about it, too, like I_'_m just supposed to ignore it when she just makes me_..._. _"But then acts...stupid. Runs away. Keeps secrets and dodges any conversation about feelings. She -" Chuck stopped mid-sentence. _Oh boy. I don't think I was talking about Dad there..._One look at Sarah's slightly flushed face and dangerously glistening eyes stopped him in his tracks. _Way to lose focus, Chuck. _He cleared his throat awkwardly and continued quietly. "He just didn't want to disappoint you, El, and he knew he would by leaving, even for a little while." Chuck shot Sarah a look of apology. "I think he was hoping hearing it from me would make it easier."

Oblivious to the subtext, as Devon played footsie with her, Ellie sighed. _Sounds about right, _she thought absently."And this is why we count on each other," she replied. _Seems like he's never gotten over Mom leaving us. _"Let's forget it and dig in." She passed the chicken around the silent table. "Oh, Chuck, I meant to ask. Where did you and Sarah and Casey go this morning? And where did you get that linen shirt?"

***

A cigar sat neglected in the ashtray as Casey swirled the glass of scotch in his hand. _Good thing I kept a dupe of all our mission logs. If there's something fishy here, I aim to find it. Just can't trust anyone anymore. _He flipped to the Longshore report with a grimace. _Not our brightest moment. Was Beckman in a hurry to get him into that bunker? _He snorted, taking a sip of scotch. _Hell, back then, so was I..._He indulged his aching head and pinched the bridge of his nose as he checked the clock. _Another hour before the briefing. Joy. _He flipped another page and paused as he heard his phone. _Is lunch going that badly? _He looked down at the display and frowned. _Who the hell has this number? _He smirked as he realized and answered. "Casey, secure. Hello, Orion."

***

_Oh crap. Oh crap. _Chuck choked on the sip of wine he'd just taken as Sarah pounded his back lightly.

"The shirt was a gift from me," Sarah provided smoothly. "You like it?" She leaned into Ellie conspiratorially. "Now that Chuck's BuyMore days are over, I figured he should dress better." _That should suit Ellie..._She was rewarded with Ellie's smile.

"Oh thank goodness! I've been trying for _years_ to get him to dress like an adult. He'll wear anything I get him once and then bury it in the closet!" Ellie beamed. _Sarah's so good for him..._

Sarah smiled with effort. _Can I really do this? Can I keep lying to her, when I actually give a damn about hurting her? _She started at the brush of a hand, but Chuck firmly grasped her hand and squeezed.

_She looks miserable, _Chuck lamented silently as he stroked Sarah's palm softly. _She's got to hate lying to Ellie. _The hesitant smile he got from her warmed him, and he kissed her knuckles as he looked up at her. He answered Ellie as he continued to run his thumb over the back of Sarah's hand. "As for where we went, I was showing them the building I rented for my startup, El."

Devon looked up from his plate with a smile. "Startup, bro? Awesome!" _Maybe now the two of them can get it together?_

Chuck smiled. "Yeah, I told El at the reception but you were off somewhere. I'm going to do computer repair and software development. I figure if everyone at the BuyMore turns to me for the hard stuff, I can make more on my own." _Plus I refuse to be a peon anymore._

Devon nodded understanding. "You'll be awesome, bro. Let me know if you need help with the legals, I have frat brothers who're lawyers."

_I don't think that'll be a problem, if the CIA has anything to say about it. _"Thanks, Devon, I'll be sure to do that." Chuck smiled genuinely and gave Devon a fist bump. _Doesn't mean I don't appreciate the support. _Chuck sat back in his chair. _Oh crap. _He looked to his left to see his hand still entwined with Sarah's, and a vulnerable look in her eyes as she looked at their interlocked hands. He squeezed and drew her gaze up. _Could we be any more confused? _He kissed her knuckles again and forced a chuckle. "Look at us, letting an Ellie lunch get cold! Shame on us." He released Sarah's hand.

She dropped her hand into her lap and rubbed her fingers against her palm, willing herself not to feel the lack of Chuck's hand in hers. _I'm so far gone..._

***

Orion tapped furiously at the keyboard, talking to Casey in the bluetooth headset. "Moab is definitely Intersect-ready. The bunker is right where Bryce said, and from my scans, _still active. _I wouldn't put it past Beckman to set it up so the Intersect fails, and she can take custody of the asset."

"You mean bunkerize Chuck," Casey clarified. _What a cold-blooded way to talk about your own son. _

Orion sighed, pressing in on his temples. "Yes, she might set it up so she can lock my son up for the rest of his natural life for being talented and in the wrong place at the wrong time," he bitterly replied. "Satisfied, Agent Casey?"

_Aw hell, this is why I shoot first. _"Um, yeah," he answered quietly, clearing his throat uncomfortably. "Sorry," he grunted low. _How was I supposed to figure he was _trying _not to get emotional?_

"Apology accepted." Orion sighed, grateful for the lack of video as he pressed his palms to his eyes. He continued quietly, almost to himself. "It's easier to be clinical than to admit that Charles is in this mess because of _my _sins." _Against him, and Ellie, and Amanda..._

Casey took a long pull of the scotch. _Is that what I'm facilitating? To give Walker and Bartowski the chance to screw their futures up? _"I know the feeling," Casey answered in a whisper.

"I can find her, if you want," Orion offered.

_Son of a bitch. _"Stay out of my business, Orion. What the hell is it about you Bartowskis, you can never leave well enough alone." _No matter how much I want you to._

On the other end, Stephen took note of her location anyway. _Future reference. _"Fair enough," he said. "I'm afraid that tendency to meddle comes from their mother, not me. I offer only because I know the debt I owe. Was it just the one kill order you ignored?"

Casey flushed, and finished his scotch in a gulp. "I never ignore orders. I was being...cautious." _Yeah. Cautious._

Orion smiled. _Dysfunctional, but family. _"Then I owe a debt to your caution. I'm only too happy to wipe the slate." _Who knows when I'll get another chance to do something for solely altruistic reasons, _he bitterly admitted.

Casey leaned back in his armchair and closed his eyes. "Just leave it be, Orion." _There's too much at stake to risk me being compromised too. _"Now why did you _really _call?"

_And this is why I chose to rely on you, Casey. _"I managed to get the mission briefing intel and I wanted to set the countermission. Beckman's set it up so you all have to leave immediately after the briefing. I have a plan..."

***

"Promise you'll have a great time and you won't worry about Dad, El, I'm sure he'll be back before you get back from the Grand Tour," Chuck said with a forced smile.

_**42.7 percent probability representation relied upon**_

_**37.2 percent probability representation disputed **_

_**10.1 percent probability representation disputed but verbally agreed to**_

_**5.6 percent probability of noncommittal response**_

_**3.4 percent probability dismissal of representation with prejudice**_

Chuck blinked. _Nothing like knowing the odds that my sister is about to lie to me._

Ellie scoffed as she hugged him. "You're a horrible liar, baby brother, but I appreciate the effort." _Oh god, I hope he knows that! _She pulled back in his embrace to meet his eyes searchingly. "You know I mean that, right? You actually _found our father_ for my wedding. I can never thank you enough for that, Chuck. Despite everything that happened, I had my perfect dream wedding thanks to you. Superpowers, I swear..." She pulled him close again, and as she kissed his cheek, she whispered, "Now use them on Sarah, huh?" She released him to hug the woman herself. "You take care of him, Sarah, we both know he can't be left unattended."

Sarah returned the hug with a touch of desperation. _Please don't let me screw this up. _"You're telling me," Sarah answered with a smirk at Chuck.

"Hey, I resemble that!" Chuck joked. _Better she tease me than hate me_...He and Devon parted their man hug as Devon planted a kiss on Sarah's cheek. They all shared an easy laugh as Chuck wrapped an arm around Sarah's waist and waved as the Drs. Awesome closed the door.

As he turned them to Casey's, Sarah whispered, "I don't think they're watching." _And being this close to you is messing with my head. _

Chuck smiled as he kissed the top of her head and drew her closer still. _I warned you about the wooing, didn_'_t I?_ "I know," he answered. _That_'_s the whole point. _He reached across her for the door, but paused before knocking and leaned in so his lips were a breath away from hers.

She fought and failed to keep her eyes from dropping to his mouth, heard the shallow breaths coming faster than she liked as her heart slowly thudded. _Chuck..._

The door to Casey's apartment flew open. "In, now," he barked.

Chuck straightened with a sigh, and Sarah could only lick her lips. Their common thought was simple.

_Damn._

***

**A.N. : **Next chapter underway right now, so sorry for the long delay! Vacation and illness threw me off, trying to get back on track. Did this suck? Should I trash it and start over? Review!


	11. Testing, Testing

**Chapter 10 - Testing, Testing...**

**A.N.: **I didn't get the last chapter up as quickly as I wanted, hoping to do better this time! I really enjoyed writing this -- no major plot movement, or maybe there is...depends on what you consider plot. :) I will begin work on the next one immediately, I promise!!

**Disclaimer: **Chuck wasn't any cheaper in Bermuda, so NBC still has him. :(

* * *

Casey ushered Chuck and Sarah in quickly. _Need to prep them. This isn't gonna be good._ He launched in as they stood awkwardly in the foyer. "Orion got a look at the briefing intel. We discussed a countermission. Short version: someone else is working on pattern recognition and encoding, and hoping to simplify the process so anyone can take an upload." _Meaning Chuck would be free at best, obsolete at worst. Dumber they are, easier to control._

_Oh no. _Chuck's eyes went wide. _Is it Fleming again?_

"Some geekette's grad thesis at Stanford. Beckman will want Chuck to seduce her, get an idea how far along the research is." _And won't _that _be fun to listen to._

_Can't I just distract her without resorting to sex? _Chuck opened his mouth to speak, but Casey turned to Sarah and continued.

"Walker's suppposed to hit the lab and sabotage test results to make it seem like it won't work." _Which could be good, or could be Beckman's plan to get Chuck for her own purposes._ "And we need to be sure the Ring isn't involved, so Chuck's going to come back with a list of names -- sponsors, assistants, advisors. Orion is trying to hack in and get the list. We're gonna keep some names to ourselves." _And hopefully keep people from being killed._

_I _really _don'__t want to have to seduce her…_"Um, Casey, do you really think-" Chuck began uncertainly.

Casey cut him off abruptly. "Whatever the end of that sentence is, you can do the math yourself, Probability Boy. All I know is it sounds like a plan to me." _Not one I like, or trust even, but..._"Without knowing for sure what Beckman's angle is, I don't see you risking people's lives by giving the names over."

Chuck swallowed. "Yeah, I see your point." _No one else is getting killed for me if I have anything to say about it._

Sarah frowned between the two of them. "But I'm still sabotaging the trial, right?" _And not watching Chuck seduce someone? _

Casey nodded. _You'd be too preoccupied on surveillance, anyway, and we both know it._ "It's still worth it to discredit the thesis, otherwise we'll have a _bunch _of idiots with state secrets. _One _of those is enough for now."

"Haha, very funny," Chuck griped. _Might have been nice to not be the one and only Intersect..._He sighed. _But not to risk other people's lives. _His eyes widened as the Intersect's logic function volunteered:

_**99.8 percent probability termination order for original Intersect issued when upload online**_

_**0.2 percent probability original Intersect released from duty**_

_Or mine, apparently. Duh, Chuck, like they'd turn you loose once they could make more?_

"You ready?" Casey asked. "You can't let on anything, got it?" _Don't screw this up, Bartowski. Our lives depend on it. _At Chuck's panicky nod, he activated the screen and initiated the call to Beckman.

***

_Finally. _Diane Beckman stubbed out her cigarette, cleared her throat, and activated her end of the video conference. "It's about time," she barked. _I've been waiting all damn day._

"Well, actually, General, we're -" Bartowski cut off abruptly as he rubbed the back of his arm, quickly glaring at Walker's retreating hand.

She refrained from snorting. _Cow bite, I'm guessing. _"I appreciate that it's Sunday, but this cannot wait. And for future reference, any possibility that you might be out of communications range is to be logged _beforehand. _I will _not _be in the position of wondering if you had _purposely _gone off-grid. Clear?" _Don't make me implant GPS trackers in your asses._

"Yes, ma'am," chorused Walker and Casey. Beckman narrowed her eyes to a laser glare. "Something _not _clear, Mr. Bartowski?"

_Oh crap. _"No, ma'am, very clear, but, uh, how am I supposed to know when I might be out of range?" _Besides every time I try to talk to my dad?_

Beckman frowned. _Does he _deliberately _set out to annoy me? _"Air travel, bank vaults, outer reaches of the ocean, I'm sure your handlers will enlighten you. Can we move on now?" Without waiting for an answer, she continued. "We've received intel that a graduate thesis at Stanford is testing pattern recognition and adaptive programming for the average brain, those who don't test as highly on pattern recognition." _Though Bartowski's brain seems pretty average to me anyhow..._"The student's name is Katherine Alford. We need to find out what stage the research is at, and if it's in any way Ring affiliated." _At least whether it's _obviously _affiliated, anyhow._ "The mission is to make contact with this Alford, get intel on her research, sponsors, assistants, advisors, and see if the Intersect flashes on any of it. The seduction programming in 2.0 should be sufficient, but Mr. Bartowski should also be prepared with pentathol if the opportunity arises."

"And the rest of us?" Walker asked. _Just tell me I won't have to witness this..._

_Could you _be _more transparent? _"You will go to the lab while Mr. Bartowski...distracts her. Sabotage any tests you can, corrupt data, whatever you can do to keep the research from going forward until we've cleared it. According to the lab schedule, she'll be taking a dinner break in about an hour, at which point the lab will be empty. You'll leave directly after this briefing. Agent Casey will monitor you both." _This last bit should be entertaining,_ she smirked as she added, "And Mr. Bartowski. Use _any means necessary._" The screen went to black.

Chuck gulped. _Just great..._"Would you say sexual positions would be a skill flash?" he weakly quipped. _Of course my first mission as 2.0 would involve sex and seduction. _

Casey smacked him upside his head. _What, is he _trying _to bait Walker? _As he looked at her pale face, he sighed. _Just great._

Sarah walked to the closet where Casey kept an extra ready bag for her and started gearing up in silence, Chuck's gallows humor unheard. _This is no different than what Chuck has had to deal with. _She zipped on the lighter ceramic vest. _He can charm her. I know he can. _She strapped on throwing knives she hoped she wouldn't need. _And isn't that the problem? _A hand on her shoulder had her jumping.

"Hey, you okay?" Chuck asked quietly. _I hate that this is how we have to start with 2.0. _He smiled sadly. "If it makes it any better, I don't want to do this, at all. In fact I've been trying to _ignore_ the seduction programming."

Sarah's hands stilled on the gear. _Are you - did he - with me? _She turned around with a glare. "Chuck, did you-" Even as the words left her mouth, she recoiled. _Damn it, why did you just say that?_

"Hey!" _Are you _kidding _me? _Chuck felt his face flush. _Thanks a _lot_, Sarah._ "I would never! Why do you think I said I was _ignoring _it?" _Give me more credit than that. _He dropped his hand from her shoulder. _She really _isn't _good at the whole trust thing. _"I want you to want _me, _not Roan's seduction skills. That's insulting and unfair."

_You're such an idiot, _Sarah berated herself. _You _know _better. _She reached out a hand in apology. "Chuck, I'm sorry. I guess I'm just freaking out." _I don't want to be jealous -- angry is so much easier. _"I just..." She dropped her hand. _I'm such a mess..._

Chuck met her gaze searchingly. _She's just as miserable about this as I am, she just doesn't know what to do with it. _Melancholy and pain shined in the blue eyes he adored. He sighed. "I know. Me too. But we can't do anything about it." _As much as I really _really _wish we could._ "I promise I won't enjoy it," he swore. _This _sucks. _Maybe this is why the agency frowns on fraternization? _

Sarah ran a hand through her hair. _If only..._"That's the problem, Chuck. You _will. _It's inevitable. Seducing a mark is a...it's a power trip. A confidence boost. You wrap them around your little finger and you get a thrill. I'm just..." _afraid you'll get carried away _"nervous" _that you'll actually like this girl _"that it'll be easy to overdo it" _and want a real relationship instead of my stupidity and inability to connect _"and not be able to cleanly extract yourself."

"Sarah," Chuck set his hands on her shoulders firmly. _I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt because you haven't had a real relationship. _"I won't get carried away, because I've _been _a mark," he waved off her denial, "and it's not the best feeling at all. I don't want this girl feeling any worse than she has to." _Or me, for that matter. This is going to be awkward enough as it is._ "I'm going to try the friendly route, maybe with some light flirting. But I am _not _setting out to get her in bed for an hour, so work fast, okay?" He smiled at her.

Sarah smiled wanly. _He thinks I can't see how worried he is about the mission, how hurt he is by my doubting him. _"I'll do my best," she promised, meeting his eyes determinedly. _On all counts, damn it. I'm not going to be able to avoid dealing with how I feel about him much longer. _

Casey grunted impatiently. "Dr. Phil moment all done?" _If not, I'm knocking their heads together, to hell with it._

"Yes, we're done," Sarah answered, turning back to finish up. _And hopefully this will go smoothly and I can get my head on straight._

"Good. I'll be in the car." _I'm giving you_ one shot_ at this. Don't be stupid, Walker. _Casey strode out of his apartment, leaving the two of them alone.

Sarah whipped around in surprise. _Casey letting us be the last ones out? _

_Did he really just leave us alone? _Chuck looked at the door again. _Still closed..._

Sarah carefully turned back to the gear, sliding the holster over her shoulder easily. _Just like any other mission. I am not waiting to see if Chuck tries to finish what we started. My heart is _not _pounding, I am _not _breathless..._As she ran a hand down her front, checking zippers, she felt the tingle of awareness thrill up her spine. _Chuck..._She turned, lifted her head to look at him as he slowly, deliberately closed the distance between them.

"Sarah..." Chuck whispered. _I can't leave it like this, not when I have to flirt with someone else..._He set his hands on her shoulders and rested his forehead against hers, her rapid breaths fanning his face. Her blue eyes were wide, vulnerable. _Now or never. _Pulling back slightly, he cupped her cheek in his hand. "There's only you," he said softly. And watching as her eyes fluttered softly closed, he kissed her.

***

Beckman picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number. _This ought to be well-received, _she thought sardonically.

"Yes, Diane?" The voice was impatient, annoyed. _Haven't you bothered me enough this weekend?_

"I thought you should know your research is being resurrected at Stanford," Beckman replied casually. _Explosion in 3, 2-_

"What?!" _My research was destroyed, I made sure of it! _

"A graduate student took it upon herself to resurrect it. Don't worry -- I tasked our best team to investigate."

"You _what?_" _I know who your best team is, damn it, Diane!_

"Don't worry, I didn't compromise you at all." _Though it was sorely tempting..._

_That's all well and good until they get there! Who knows what documentation they have? _"Diane, if there's even the slightest _inkling _of my involvement-"

"I'm telling you it's fine. _She'll _be the one looking at the research, he's the distraction, along with intel extraction from the student." _I'm not stupid, and this is too important._

Silence from the other end filled the line. _This will be fine. It will be fine. Walker won't realize what she's looking at. I never put my full name on anything except my personal research files. _"All right. I'll trust you. But if there's _anything _to this..."

"You'll know." _Especially since, if it looks viable, we'll need your help to make it look like it's _not.

_Wait. Intel extraction..._"Seduction programming, Diane?"

"Yes, he has been instructed to use any means necessary." _Though I somehow doubt he will, frankly._

"This wasn't what I intended," her contact growled. _And you know it._

"I know, but apparently he had other ideas. I can only work with what I have, as you are well aware." _Not that I'm surprised with his choice to reupload. _She allowed herself a small smile. _Why else would I have allowed his handprint to be programmed as cleared for the Intersect?_

"You will call me, _immediately_, once you learn anything." _Or I will make your life miserable. I have the means, and you more than anyone know that._

_Immediately...such a _subjective _word..._"Of course."

_Of course, my ass. Good thing I have your communications tapped. _"Thank you." Beckman disconnected, and as the silence reigned, a whisper.

"Oh, Charles..."

***

Sarah reflexively stiffened as Chuck's lips met hers. _I...we should...It's too......who am I kidding..._With a strangled little moan she left Agent Walker protesting and responded as Sarah. _Damn it to hell, I want this. _She melted into him, pressing closer, hands tangling in his curls. _Chuck..._

_Oh my god. I'm actually...kissing..._Chuck gently deepened the kiss, searching for - _God, yes, _that...

Sarah molded her body to his desperately, running her hands down to the nape of his neck to drag him closer. _I can't lose you, I can't..._

Chuck tore his lips from hers, panting. He lifted his head to search her face, her eyes. _I could get used to that look on her face..._"Sarah," he whispered, placing feathersoft kisses on her lips. _I love you._

_I can't believe..._She whimpered as the light kisses grew heated again, her eyes fluttering closed. _Oh, Chuck...I...I think I...._She drew back with a gasp. "Chuck," she whispered into his chest, afraid to meet his eyes. _He's awfully quiet..._The steady rise and fall of his breath was soothing, and she fell into its rhythm until she felt him shudder. "Chuck?" she questioned, finally looking up. _I hope nothing's...wrong..._

_Holy crap. _Chuck shook himself. "Okay, _that _was embarrassing..."

_Oh no! _Sarah ran a hand down his cheek. "It's okay, Chuck, it happens to a lot of guys." She blushed slightly. _I can't believe I had that much of an affect on him so easily._

Chuck frowned. _What the heck does she...ohhhhh crap. She thinks I...? _He broke into a wide smile.

Sarah smiled back at him. _I'm so glad he's smiling about it._

_Oh boy..._Chuck kissed her lips lightly and stepped back. "Um, Sarah...while I'm grateful for your sympathy and understanding -- and I'm sure I'll need it someday, because that was...._wow --_ I, um..." _She's going to be mortified but I have to explain..._"Sarah, I _flashed._" He ducked his head to hide his grin.

_Oh no! And I thought...and I _said...She pressed her hands to her eyes. "Oh my god, Chuck, I thought....I mean...I...I'm so..."

_Oh Sarah..._He gently pried her hands from her eyes. "It's okay, Sarah, I get why you thought that. Apparently sex _is _a skill flash," he laughed, squeezing her hands. "Come on, let's go before Casey comes back in after us." _Or before I decide I don't give a damn about anything and run away with you. _He kissed her lingeringly. "Besides, if I think too much about what I just learned, while kissing you...you might turn out to be _right_." With a last caress of her cheek, he turned towards the door.

She laughed as she followed. _Oh Chuck...I love you. _The thought was strong and she caught her breath, stopping in her tracks.

"Sarah?" Chuck called from the door. "Did you forget something?"

_To guard my heart. _She cleared her throat. "Um, nothing," she replied. _Just breathe, _she admonished herself. _You have a job to do. _As she approached the door he held open for her, she focused on her pre-mission checklist.

_Something is _definitely _up...She looks like she's a million miles away..._Chuck shut the door behind them as she walked through the courtyard. _I hope she doesn't regret that already..._He took a deep breath, still smelling Sarah's perfume, feeling the heat of her body. _I refuse to believe that was a mistake. And I refuse to believe she thinks it was either._

_**37.9 percent probability --**_

_No. _Chuck shook his head as he followed. _I don't want to know what the Intersect thinks, damn it. _

Sarah slammed the door to the Crown Vic behind her as she dropped into the passenger seat. _Get your head in the game, Walker, that was stupid, _stupid_ timing._

Casey bit back a groan as he turned to her. _Did they just keep fight-- _He stopped as he looked at her._ Ha, I don't think so. But I think she's pissed she lost focus. _As Bartowski floated into the car, Casey smiled to himself.

"Hey, Walker," Casey said. _Maybe letting 'em try will be worth it after all..._As she swiftly turned to look at him, he barely contained his smirk. "You might want to fix your lipstick." Hearing Chuck's choked laughter in the backseat, he looked up into the rear view and added, "And you might want to take yours _off, _Bartowski." _Only fair I make fun of _both _of you. _As Sarah blushed furiously and Chuck swiped at his lips, Casey smiled and started the car.

* * *

**A.N.: **That was fun to write. Fun to read? Let me know!


	12. Carmichael, Charles Carmichael

**Chapter 11 - Carmichael, Charles Carmichael**

**A.N**.: Hope you enjoyed the last chapter, I needed to ease the tension, but don't think it's smooth sailing from there...This is much longer than my usual chapter, so make sure you go take care of your business before starting to read. I'll wait. Promise. ;) Maybe while I'm waiting, Chuck will miraculous be mine. ... Or not. Enjoy!

* * *

Chuck swiped at his lips one more time. _Damn it, Casey, you couldn't leave well enough alone? I thought you were on board with us trying! _He glared at the rear view mirror. _Look at him, he's practically _giddy _at the opportunity to tease us. _He hazarded a glance at Sarah. _She's…she's _blushing. _That's just..._Chuck smiled at her, annoyance melting away. _Maybe teasing us isn't _so_ bad._

Sarah caught his look and blushed deeper, ducking her head. _What the hell were you thinking? After telling him you couldn't deal with it all now, that you needed time, you grope him in Casey's apartment? _She sighed, leaning her head back as she closed her eyes. _What was I thinking? I know _exactly _what I was thinking.__ That I _want_ him, damn it.__ That I maybe love him. That he's a ridiculously good kisser for a nerd. That I wasn't supposed to be in this position anymore. That Casey's on our side. That I might lose this Chuck today. _She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. _After his first seduction as 2.0, he might never be the same. And what then? I couldn't just let him go, not like that. I...oh hell. I _needed _that._

Casey grunted as the silence grew heavy. _Too much lady feeling thinking going on right now. _"You ready for this, Bartowski?"

Chuck snapped to reality, tearing his gaze from Sarah's profile. _Am I? _"Yeah, I guess? I don't know if I'll ever be _ready _to seduce someone, but this seems like a safe way to start, actually."

_Safe? _Casey frowned. "You know, no one has cleared the girl yet. Just because you didn't flash on her doesn't mean she's not involved."

_Duh, Chuck. _He slumped in his seat. "Oh." _So much for safe. _"I should've thought of that."

"Damn right you should've. It's careless assumptions like that that can get you killed." _Like assuming nothing changes when you leave your unit for two years. _Casey squeezed the wheel tighter as the anger surged over his well-constructed mental block. _One freaking day to let their guard down a little and it gets them killed. By someone they should've been able to trust with their lives. _His knuckles were white with strain as he put his foot down on the gas and shot the Crown Vic forward.

_Angry Casey driving is not a good thing..._Chuck looked around as scenery flew past in a blur, and Casey wove through traffic. _I want to say something, but I don't want to die..._

_**57.9 percent probability verbal overture rejected with prejudice**_

_**37.5 percent probability verbal overture rejected without prejudice**_

_**5.6 percent probability verbal overture accepted**_

_Well, I guess that's decent odds I come out with limbs intact..._Chuck slid forward in the back seat and clasped a hand to Casey's shoulder. "Thanks, Casey. I'm lucky to have you looking out for me." He squeezed Casey's shoulder before he added, "And we'll get them, Case. Semper fi, right?"

Casey jerked his shoulder, shrugging off Chuck's hand with Grunt #2, the 'don't touch me, ever'. But his hands on the wheel eased, and the speed limit reasserted itself. _Semper fi, damn it. Freaking civilian knows better than the scumbag. I'm coming for you and your little friends, you worthless piece of crap._

Sarah cracked one eye open and peeked at both men. _Leave it to Chuck, the only person capable of calming Casey without getting hit. _She picked her head up off the seat and tapped Casey's shoulder. As he turned to look, she tapped her ear.

"Don't insult me, Walker, of course I swept. I had Orion help -- he's got the parking lot under surveillance, no one came near her," Casey affectionately tapped the dashboard. _I would _never _take a chance on my space being violated._

"Okay, just checking," Sarah answered, raising her hands in surrender. "You briefed us in the apartment, so I thought the Vic might've been compromised." _And considering we can't trust anyone, who the hell knows?_

_Not a chance..._Casey smirked. "I briefed you in the apartment so Chuckles could have his freak out well out of his system before we got there." _Considering this whole damn op relies on him._

"Hey," Chuck protested, "I did _not _have a freak out." _I think I dealt with all of this pretty darned well!_

Casey snorted. "Keep telling yourself that." _Because you _normally _joke about sexual positions and make out with Walker in my apartment. Which, ew. _Casey barely suppressed a shudder.

Sarah frowned as she considered. _I can see Casey's point. _"So, are we picking up the...the van?"

_Great, the Ghost of Larkin rises again. Just look at her. _Casey nodded as he turned into a parking garage. "Yeah, over there." Casey parked the Vic next to a black Toyota Highlander Hybrid which sat in a corner.

"Upgrade?" Chuck asked as he got out of the car. _Or clean slate from Bryce? Oh god. Bryce. Is there...a memorial? Funeral? Damn it. _He looked at Sarah's coolly blank face. She exited without a word, but Chuck saw the briefest flash of pain in her eyes. _Damn it._

Casey opened the driver's door. _You better get your head on straight, Walker, _he mentally scolded. "Yeah, upgrade. You got your computer?"

_Of course. _Chuck rolled back his sleeve. "Haven't taken it off." _Don't intend to, either._

"You better not let Ellie see that, Chuck," Sarah warned. _I will not think about the last van ride. Last. His last. Could've been _my _last..._She deliberately turned to Casey as she climbed in, explaining, "Ellie was asking where we went this morning. She must've seen the three of us out the window." _Quit it already. This is too important to get lost in thought._

Casey grunted, a number 17, 'that could be bad.'

"What are the chances of Beckman letting me tell Ellie that I work for the CIA, at least?" Chuck asked, sliding the door shut. _So I don't have to _lie _all the damn time..._

Casey snorted. _Yeah, sure. That'll happen._ "Ask the supercomputer, hot shot."

"Forget it, I'll take that as a no," Chuck sighed. _Like I expected any better. _"At least until I get better leverage."

Sarah turned to him sympathetically. _You know, after today...I can't blame him, lying to Ellie _sucks. "If anyone can figure out how to make that happen, Chuck, it's you."

He smiled widely. _Really? _"Thanks, Sarah, I appreciate that."

She blushed as she ducked her head. _Oh my god, seriously? You've got to stop blushing, it's unprofessional. Is this what happens after you kiss him? You turn into a teenager with a crush? Get it together! _She took a deep breath and straightened in her seat.

Casey smirked at them both in the mirror. "All right, enough kissyface already. Bartowski – send Orion our comm frequencies so he can monitor our surveillance. We get there, Chuckles macks it in the cafeteria, Walker trashes the lab, we haul ass. Got it?"

"'Macks it', Casey? Going old school there, huh? No wonder you did so well in seduction school," Chuck snarked. _You make it sound so freaking easy. _"And there are a bunch of dining halls and restaurants around Stanford, so I hope _someone's _got her under surveillance."

Without turning, Casey swiped behind him and hit Chuck in the head. _Did you forget who you're dealing with? _"We're the NSA, her _dog _is under surveillance," Casey replied.

"She has a dog?" Chuck asked. _Cool!_

Casey just swiped at his head again.

***

Orion had set himself at penetrating Stanford's firewall, trying and failing repeatedly to find Alford's records. _There are just too damn many network users! I narrowed it to the science buildings and her dorm, and still there are thousands of secured users. _He formulated an algorithm to continue searching for her, and immersed himself in Bryce's records, browsing for anything referring to himself. _I hope he knew better than to leave my name in. _So far his searches had yielded nothing, but he was still at the surface search, ciphers were next. _I am not risking myself, Charles or Eleanor any more than absolutely necessary. _He pushed back from the desk, stretching. _I should probably have something more substantial than coffee. At least he has an actual kitchen setup down here. _He rummaged through cabinets, finding an assortment of canned goods. _Got to give Bryce credit again, I thought he was too soft to live like this. _He pulled out a can of Spaghettios with a melancholy smile.

_"Dad! Chuck's putting Spaghettios on his fingers!" Ellie reported haughtily._

_"Eleanor, you know he doesn't know any better," Stephen gently replied. He sat next to the high chair and pulled them off his son's chubby fingers one by one. "Now, Charles, those are for _eating_. Can you try _eating _them instead of wearing them?" _

_"Eww-eeee!" he babbled. _

_"I think he's calling for you, Ellie," Amanda commented as she walked into the dining room. "Why don't you come over and say hi?" Turning to Chuck, she planted a kiss on his head and another on Stephen's lips. "Hi, honey, I'm home," she murmured against his smile. _

Stephen shook himself from the memory with a sigh. _Those were the days. _He opened the can and poured the contents into a bowl, and put the bowl in the microwave. He absently glanced back to the computer while he waited for the microwave to beep at him.

_What the..._

**ORION? **the screen read. The cursor blinked innocently after it.

**WHO? **he typed back.

**STEPHEN BARTOWSKI, ORION, WHATEVER. IS IT YOU? **The cursor blinked insistently.

**WHO IS THIS? **he replied.

**A FRIEND,** came the slow response.

**I CAN'T HELP YOU. **_No idea who this is, not going to take any chances._

**OPEN FOLDER ON DESKTOP. FILENAME PHOENIX. PHOTOS. #143. I'LL WAIT.**

The microwave beeped its end as Orion opened the folder and the file. A hi-res photo slowly scrolled open as the microwave beeped again. _All right, already, I'm coming! _He left the photo opening as he retrieved the bowl, grabbed a spoon and returned to the desk. He sat down as he scooped a spoonful, and as he lifted it to his mouth, the faces in the picture loaded.

The spoon hit the bowl with a clatter, faux tomato sauce splashing.

**INTERESTED NOW? **scrolled the text on the bottom of the screen.

*******

_This all looks so familiar..._Chuck sighed as he watched the scenery pass by. _If only this were three years ago, before Spy World took over my life. _He looked at Sarah through his peripheral vision. _No blushing or awkward conversation. No pining. No idea what this constant ache in my heart is. No wondering if it's a mistake --_

_**37.9 percent probability --**_

"Shut _up_!" he burst out, pounding his head against the seat in frustration.

_What the hell? _Sarah immediately turned to look at him. "Chuck? What's wrong?"

"Ugh," he moaned, eyes closed. _Damn it to hell, I said something out loud..._"I'm just so sick of the probability calculus. It's like I'm not even making my own decisions anymore, Sarah," he said worriedly as he straightened and looked at her. "It tells me things I don't want to know, or even think about!"

Sarah frowned at him. "Can you stop it? Control it?" _Please say yes._

He nodded, "Yeah, of course, but I don't even want the _beginnings_, you know?" _Why would I want to know the odds of you regretting the best kiss of my life?_

Sarah pursed her lips in thought. _Thanks for the brief on the Intersect, Beckman. _"Do you think your dad might be able to help?"

Chuck tilted his head as he thought. "I...I guess? He _did _help program it, but it was pretty much finished by the time he got to it. I just wonder if even _he _understands all the features, you know?" _I wonder if _anyone _does..._"From the impression I got from Bryce and from him, they changed it, a _lot_."

_"_Why don't you find out?" she suggested, pointing down to his arm. _Better to find out what we don't know sooner rather than later..._"It'd give you something to distract yourself with, anyway."

Chuck smiled crookedly at her. _Maybe that's a good idea._ "Thanks, Sarah." He rolled up his sleeve and started typing.

"No problem, Chuck," she smiled. _That way I don't have to worry what the Intersect is saying about me!_

_'Dad?' _Chuck typed. '_You there?'_

***

Orion's wrist unit chirped, the tone telling him it was Chuck. The message from his 'friend' remained on the screen, blinking cursor a testament to his speechlessness.

He looked down at his wrist unit, contemplating who to respond to first. Glancing back between the two, he picked the easier reply.

**OF COURSE I'M INTERESTED NOW. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD. **_Seriously, dead. Finally, and for real._

**REPORTS WERE PREMATURE.**

_Premature my ass: dead body, no pulse. _**WHY MAKE CONTACT NOW? **_And why this way? Emails not good enough?_

**YOU NEED ME. I LEFT BREADCRUMBS, YOU'RE NOT FOLLOWING.**

**WHAT BREADCRUMBS? **_You always did have a problem with over or underestimating people. _

**ANSWER HIM FIRST.**

Orion jerked in surprise, but turned his gaze down to the wrist unit. _I'm here, _he replied.

_Oh thank goodness, _Chuck sighed. '_Do you know any way to adjust the probability programming?' _he typed.

_'In what way?' _Orion replied.

_'TMI,' _Chuck answered. '_Too often, and on subjects I don't want.'_

**TELL HIM TO TRY TAI CHI. HE'S TOO DISCONNECTED FROM HIS SUBCONSCIOUS. TAI CHI AND REIKI.**

Orion blinked at the screen. _And how do I tell him that without him thinking I'm insane? _He shook his head. _You always put me in the most impossible scenarios...._He paused before typing a reply. '_We'll have to work on it. Too important to deprogram. Maybe meditation? Must learn to control info.'_

_'Figured. Thx. Will debrief later,' _Chuck replied.

With a sigh of relief, Orion turned back to the computer. **I'LL TALK TO HIM LATER. BREADCRUMBS?**

**YOU REALLY DIDN'T RECOGNIZE MY CODE?**

_Oh my god. _Orion rubbed at his forehead. _Damn it. __**Damn it. **__I _knew _the new coding looked familiar. I just never thought..._**I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS POSSIBLE.**

**ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE RING.**

_Oh hell._

***

Chuck sank back into his seat and sighed. _Meditation, huh? Maybe Casey will teach me? _Chuck leaned forward in his seat, pressing his face between Casey and Sarah. "Hey, do either of you do meditation?" He looked from one to the other like an eager puppy. _I will try _anything _to get this under control._

Casey reached his left hand over, right hand on the wheel, and took Chuck's face firmly in hand to shove him back into his seat. _Give me a damn break. _"This ain't a family road trip, keep your geekdom back there."

"Hey, upgrade!" _Not moron, idiot, or any variation on that theme!_ "If it's a geekdom, that's like a geek _king_dom! Though I do still prefer nerd."

"Cripes, are you _delusional?! _I might actually have preferred your sissypants moping for Walker!" Casey shook his head. _Honestly, to make me _wish _you were whiny..._that's _talent._

_Gee thanks. _Sarah rolled her eyes at Casey good-naturedly. "We _both _practice meditation, Chuck, it's pretty standard training, actually, to help cope with, well...everything. Why?"

_Should've figured that, of course. _"Dad suggested it, to help me control the probability stuff."

"Well, that makes sense," Sarah agreed. _Wonder if it would help _me _figure out what the hell to do about you._

_Okay, that's a plan, and a relief..._"So, um...are we talking _nude _meditation?" Chuck waggled his eyebrows suggestively while Sarah giggled.

_Oh god, Walker, _giggling? _You really _are _a teenager when it comes to Chuck! _Sarah abruptly reined in her laughter, facing forward as she cleared her throat.

Chuck, being Chuck, immediately fretted. _Oh no...what if she's upset she's laughing because she _does _regret that kiss and she's gonna tell me so afterwards, but she won't say so before the mission otherwise I'd be too nervous to kiss her if I had to kiss her...but Sarah really seemed to enjoy it, and from my flash, I had the technique down...but what if Sarah's so used to technique that from me it's just boring? She's kissed so many guys...oh god...she really _has _kissed a lot of guys...Has she ever kissed Casey? Ew! I wonder if she even remembers how many marks she's kissed. Wait, do I _really --

"_**BARTOWSKI**_!" _Enough spacing out already! _Casey's fingers tapped impatiently on the steering wheel, volcanic rage in his glare. "Whatever it is you were pondering like the secret to the universe, _whatever _the hell you were thinking about..._put. it. away. NOW. _You have one mission and one mission only,_ are. we. clear?"_ Casey's voice was biting, his hands tightening yet again around the steering wheel.

"Yes, Casey," Chuck whispered. _You _idiot_. The car stopped and you didn't even notice. _"I lost myself, it won't happen on mission."

"See that it _doesn't," _Casey warned. _Losing focus gets you killed, and you freaking know that._

Sarah, for her part, sat silently in the passenger seat. _It's my fault, it's got to be. If I hadn't gotten him distracted, thinking of us, wondering about us, he wouldn't have lost focus. _Sarah glanced at Casey from the corner of her eyes.

He caught the glance. _Good, you realized._ He grunted, a #42, 'that goes for you too.' He turned back to Chuck. "You ready? I've got her heading out of the lab right now."

_Here goes everything. _"As I'll ever be." He looked at Sarah. _I can't say it, but I hope you just look me in the eyes and know that it's still only you..._With a soft sad smile, he opened the door and stepped out.

_Be safe, Chuck..._With a nod to Casey, she stepped out of the van as well.

Casey glanced down at the clock and at the video monitor in the center console. _Nothing's gonna happen to this team on my watch, damn it. __**Nothing**_.

***

Beckman's phone chirped cheerfully at her. The message was simple. "Pigeons have flown." _And now we'll find out what you're up to._

***

In the cabin, the surveillance was streaming as well. As Chuck rounded a corner, the audio clearly captured his deep breath as he set himself on a collision course with a slight brunette, glasses, bangs, shy smile.

_Because, why not, _Chuck thought sourly. His steps picked up speed until he reached the opposite side of the walkway. When she rounded her corner, Chuck was waiting to catch her as she ran into him. _All right, 2.0, you're on, _Chuck instructed himself, giving over to the probabilities flying through him.

Reflected in the glint of her lenses, Chuck's smile was just a touch too knowing, too calculated to be genuine, to those who knew enough to notice such things about him. But the girl was dazzled, and the scene, set.

A sigh. _Oh, Charles...may you come back as the same man you left._

_***_

Chuck looked down at her, and smiled wide enough to show a hint of teeth. _At least 2.0 is working with my natural tendencies, and letting me be a goof, instead of turning me completely into Roan. _"I'm so sorry, I guess I just got lost in thought. It's been a while since I've been here on campus."

Brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, she smiled back. "It's okay...you're an alum?"

"Yeah, I am," he answered. _Who's to say different? Except the yearbooks. Do we care? _"Charles Carmichael, Class of '01." He proffered a hand.

"Katherine Alford," she replied, shaking it. "Class of not soon enough."

Chuck laughed. "I know _that _feeling...Are you an undergrad or a grad?"

She stood a little straighter. "I'm a grad, actually. A senior. Working on my thesis."

_This is almost _too_ easy. _"Really? Wow. No wonder you can't wait to get out of here. That's pretty amazing, though. Sucks that you're a grad, I was hoping to find out if Professor Fleming was still around."

Casey cringed at the blatant reference to Fleming. _Don't push it, Bartowski!_ Casey's finger hovered over the mic, waiting to redirect Chuck if it went awry.

Katherine smiled up at him. "Just so happens I know -- my thesis is based on his class!"

"No way!" Chuck exclaimed. The Intersect made sure his eyes were rounded in shock and bright with delight, his body language open and inviting. _I think all this programming is easy to fall into. Gotta beware of that..._His expression dimmed deliberately. "Oh, God, you're totally on your way somewhere and I'm yammering about Fleming. Let me help you with all this." Chuck stooped to scoop up pens and papers that had scattered in the collision. As they reached the last pen together, their fingers brushed. _Casual flirtatious contact, huh. Thanks, Intersect. _Chuck snatched his hand back, but rubbed his fingers together. He shot a shy and uncertain smile at her as he straightened, and held out a hand for her.

She took it and smiled shyly at him as she stood. "Thanks, Charles. I, um...I'm actually not going anywhere exciting, just lunch."

"Oh god, did the food get any better?" he joked. _Wow...flirting feels pretty good when I'm not actually _worrying _about it working!_

"Ha! If only. I try to eat off campus as much as possible, but with only an hour to eat, I'm sometimes trapped."

"I remember the feeling...I'd literally _run _to Ming's for some dim sum and some space, you know?" He gestured to her to walk and fell into step beside her.

"Ming's? Really?" She quirked an eyebrow at him. "I somehow can't picture Charles Carmichael in a little dim sum dump. Seems...beneath you."

"Oh, so you know me so well after a few minutes?" he teased. _I...Sarah was right, this _is _a trip..._"I would go there right now for some dumplings, maybe a shrimp noodle or two."

"Would you now?" She stopped walking and looked up at him from beneath her eyelashes. "_Really?_"

_Oh here we go. This is fine. We're fine. I'm fine. _He nodded. "Absolutely. I mean, it was almost a ritual." _This will not go too far._

"Then come on," she invited. "I wouldn't mind some company for a change..."

_And so starts the clock. _Chuck pressed the face of his watch twice, giving Sarah the go.

***

_Good luck, Chuck. _Sarah slipped into the lab like a shadow, Casey and the surveillance assuring her it was empty. _I feel like I'm in over my head here. _Simulations ran on screens around the room, papers littered the tabletops, and mice chittered quietly in a corner. _Can _mice _flash?! _She picked up one of the papers. _7/27/89? This is _old._ Who the heck is Aero? And it looks like it was shoved under a table and dragged around. _She turned the page over and found it was unevenly yellowed with age, crumpled and torn. _Hell, it's like someone tried to throw it away...Definitely worth taking a picture of, but she'd definitely notice if it were gone. _Sarah quickly scanned the document and turned her attention to the room. Touching her earwig, she whispered, "Casey, do you have anything more specific on what to focus on changing? Or just anything I can?"

_You were there, weren't you?_ "Our orders were to delay the research until we clear it, so just foul some tests, maybe change a number or two in her documentation?"

"You could also look specifically for the correlative data, it'll look like a bunch of fractions."

Sarah jumped slightly in surprise at Orion's voice in her ear. _Focus, Walker, he has our comm frequencies. _"Computer or paper?"

"Probably computer, it'll most likely be running in a remote corner, it's doing all the crunching. Might even be a laptop." _After all, that's what I used, so I could take it all with me and destroy the rest._

Sarah scanned the room quickly. _Bingo. _"I think I found it, Orion."

He gave a slow exhale as she heard keys tapping in the background. "All right, Agent Walker, this is what you have to do."

Casey tuned out when Orion asked for the dedicated IP address and began reciting algorithms to enter. He turned his attention back to Chuck and 2.0. _Walker's end is taken care of, let's see how Casanova is faring..._

***

"Seriously, a crumpled piece of paper inspired your thesis?" _No, honestly, that's crazy. _

Katherine nodded around a mouthful of shrimp noodle. She chased it with a sip of her Sapporo. "Yeah, I had borrowed a book on optics from the library and there was this scrap of paper stuck in it, all yellowed and beat up. I uncrumpled it, hoping maybe it was the homework I had to do, but it had the heading of 'Omaha' and seemed to be talking about subliminal messages. I held onto it and actually brought it to Fleming. He was the one who helped me make sense of it, and he set me up with some sponsors when I decided to make it my thesis."

"Subliminal messages? Who're your sponsors, Pepsi and Coke?" Chuck joked. _Specifics, we need _names_. _"Seriously, no offense, but it seems a little farfetched for a thesis. Didn't someone already figure out subliminal messaging wouldn't be cost-effective?"

"Well, yeah, that's why I'm not using it for advertising, silly." She met his gaze sideways, a half-smile on her lips.

_Finesse, Chuck._ "Oh, well, wasn't _that _just presumptuous of me. Tell me about your thesis, then." He rested his chin on his hand as he grabbed another dumpling. "Enlighten me."

She raised an eyebrow. "Sure you can keep up?"

He raised both eyebrows in genuine surprise. "A challenge! Yes, I do, better than you might think. Try me." _She's a mark, Chuck, keep it straight._

She raised an eyebrow again, with a sarcastic smile. "Just remember you asked for it," she warned, pointing with her chopsticks.

_Actually the United States Government is asking. _Chuck nodded around a bite of bean curd._ Or the Ring. Still not sure of that..._

"Well, Professor Fleming gave me some of his old research on pattern recognition and retention. Then I had the subliminal messaging snippet. So I figured, what if we could use that not for commercial purposes, but for something useful, like education? What if we could treat learning disabilities that way, somehow? To figure out a way to make the connections someone with, say, a reading disability can't quite make? How amazing would that be? Or help someone with autism or Aspergers' make positive associations with social interactions?"

"But, anyone? Like regular people could somehow be reprogrammed to be supergeniuses?" _And here I though the Intersect was the worst of it..._

She shuddered visibly. "Oh, hell no! I would never 'reprogram' anyone. I mean just making those connections in your brain that manifest as disorders and disabilities."

"Huh. That actually _does s_ound much better than gremlins in my TV shows telling me to go to Subway, or buy a Toyota," he laughed. _I _really _hope she's not Ring._ "So, um, do you work with a bunch of scientists and psychologists?"

She looked around quickly. "Okay, I'm not supposed to tell anyone this, but some _government _psychologists have contacted me about this! Professor Fleming is fielding all of that. And I have a bunch of undergrad assistants."

"Really?" _Oh hell._

She sighed. "No, not really. I only have two," she lamented. "No one wants to watch computer simulations, and I don't have authorization for human trials yet."

_Oh, thank goodness. _"Even with the government being interested?" He leaned forward at just the right angle to show interest, and the Intersect had him reach out to wipe a dab of chili sauce from the side of her mouth. _Oh my god! What the hell am I doing?_ He snatched his hand back as she smiled shyly.

"Thanks," she whispered, touching the spot softly.

_Damn it. Crap. _"Uh, no problem."

She frowned. "You okay?"

"Yeah, fine, awesome even," he laughed nervously. _Relax, Chuck, she's _supposed _to like you. And judging by the look on her face, you've got her. Wow. You actually _got _her. _He smiled a full Bartowski and she smiled back, cheeks pink. "Sorry, I usually don't..." he gestured with his fingers. "I just..."

She smiled and ducked her head, blushing again. "It's...it was...fine."

_Sarah blushes like that for me. The badass spy, blushing. _He looked up at Katherine but saw a blue eyed blonde in his mind's eye. _Focus. _"So, you were saying? Lab assistants?"

"Yeah, Fleming gave me two of his best students to help. They're seniors and they're actually really helpful. And the psychologists don't actually participate, they just ask for reports periodically."

"Cool! You get to send mail to the government and they actually care!" _I _work _for them and I can't get that much._

She laughed. "You're a character, Charles Carmichael."

He pursed his lips._That I am...A total construct, in fact..._"You have no idea," he murmured.

She frowned at him quickly, but his expression was as open and cheerful as it had been throughout. "Oookay...well I don't actually _send _anything, it's emailed to them and to Fleming."

"Aw, there goes my fantasy that the government reads actual paper things." _Okay, so we need to get at the computer records._

She laughed again, shaking her head. "Yeah, no...I don't think they'd read actual paper. Plus, email is easier to destroy, less environmental impact."

_You _think _it's easier to destroy, but you're not even close..._"That's actually really great," he enthused. "Hey, mind if I..." He pointed in the direction of the rest room.

"Oh, of course! Go ahead, I promise to save you some tripe."

He smiled and stood. "Thanks, I think. I'll be right back." He headed to the bathroom and checked for occupants. _Nothing. Good._ He pressed the knob on the side of his watch and took his earwig out of his pocket to slip into his ear. "Sarah," he whispered urgently. "I need you to get the IP address for the computers in there and clone her email."

Sarah was startled yet again as Chuck's voice overlapped Orion. "Already on it, Chuck, your dad is on our comm."

Chuck moved to the window. "Really? Hey, Dad. Anyway, just two lab assistants, and you're gonna love her advisor."

"Fleming," chorused the rest of the team.

"Um, yeah. So what exactly did I need to make contact with her for?" _Uh oh. _"Um, never mind...I think I was just reminded why. Two Fulcrum agents, approaching the restaurant. Casey, I need you here. Sarah, Dad, be careful. I'm going to try to get her out of here."

"Chuck, you can't --"

"I have to cut comms, I'm going to contact Beckman and request instructions for a secured facility. I have to go."

"Chuck? Chuck!" _Damn it to hell. _"Casey, I'm aborting on my end, rendezvous at north entrance in three. Orion, just keep surveillance on him."

"You don't even have to ask. I'm going to punch him through to Diane and then go radio silent. Contact me later."

"Thank you," Sarah whispered. _Damn it, he wasn't supposed to be in this situation!_

***

"Beckman, secure. How the hell did you get my private--"

"All due respect, General, I had to. We have two Fulcrum agents approaching my location. Request authorization to extract Alford and requesting safe house."

_What? No one was supposed to interfere! _"Extraction granted, safe house to follow. Get her out safely, Bartowski. We're still not sure of her allegiances. See if she recognizes the agents, but do _not _compromise the op, or yourself. Priority is safe extraction with cover intact. You are _still _Carmichael, you just happen to be an alum working for the government."

"Understood, _Carmichael_ out." _Yeah, safe, easy. Good thing you're not a fortuneteller, Chuck. _He plastered a smile on his face as he returned to the table to find Katherine shifting nervously in her seat. "Hey, sorry about that...I got a phone call." When she continued to watch the men out of the far window, he frowned in concern. "Hey, you okay?"

"Hmm? Oh! Oh gosh, I'm sorry." She looked at him sheepishly. "Those two guys," she pointed to the Fulcrum agents, "seem to be popping up at the most random times and places. I mean, I _think _it's them? But there are always two, they're always in black, and they never smile. I don't know, maybe I'm just spending too long in the lab." She smiled at him, forcing a laugh. "Let's just forget it."

_Damn it. _Chuck licked his lips nervously and schooled his features to concern. "If they're freaking you out, we can just get out of here. I think I'm good without my tripe."

_**79.2 percent probability agents will engage upon exit**_

_**10.8 percent probability agents will continue covert surveillance until target unattended**_

_**5.8 percent probability agents will terminate escort and acquire target **_

_**4.2 percent probability agents will desist**_

_Oh yeah, definitely good without my tripe._

"You sure? I don't want you thinking I'm crazy or paranoid."

"Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you," he answered automatically. _Oh great, Chuck, just freak her out, why don't you..._

She blinked, confused, then laughed. "That's reassuring," she teased.

_She took it as a joke! Thank goodness. _He dropped a twenty on the table and held a hand out to help her up. He placed a hand at the small of her back and took a deep breath as he guided her towards the exit._ Oh hell, they're almost in here, _he realized as he approached the door.

_"ETA in two," _Casey's voice informed him through the earwig.

Chuck glanced outside. _They're coming from the opposite direction as Casey and Sarah. If we can get out and head to the other corner, we might make it without any confrontation. _He glanced at Katherine again. _She's totally freaking out. _Her footsteps had slowed, and she was gnawing on her lower lip. _If I don't get her moving, even _that_ chance will be gone._ _And if they make it in here -- _he glanced around at the full complement of customers -- _it's not going to be easy to get her out safely. Only one thing for it. _

Chuck leaned down to her, and spoke softly near her ear."I need you to trust me, Katherine." He fought a sigh as he found himself saying what Sarah had said to him when the insanity began. _Yeah, that worked out _so _well for me. _"I know you're scared of those guys, even if you won't admit it, and you're right to be. Just walk out of here with me, and I promise you, nothing will happen to you." _Don't make promises you can't keep, Bartowski! _his conscience screamed."Please, Katherine, trust me." _I'm keeping this one, damn it, and 2.0 is going to help me do it._

"How...how do you know that? How do I know I can trust you? How do I know that you're not all working together?" she accused. "I meet you and suddenly there they are!"

He sighed. "Because when we walk out that door, those two men are going to approach us. I'm going to try to distract them, and delay them, but I'll end up fighting them." _Which will delay and distract them, actually..._"I need you to go to a black Toyota Highlander Hybrid that's going to pull up. There'll probably be a blonde in the passenger seat." _Because I'm sure Sarah aborted as soon as I cut comms._ "Tell them Carmichael sent you. They'll get you somewhere safe."

"But...but what about you?"

"This is what I've trained for, Katherine," he assured her. _At least for half a day physically, and _mentally_...wouldn't _that _be fun to explain to her._ "Don't worry about me." _That is, __I__'__d explain __if I wanted her killed or bunkerized._

"Who _are _you?"

"I told you -- Carmichael, Charles Carmichael. Stanford alum. I only left out one part." As he saw Casey pull up, he nudged her towards the door, and whispered in her ear, "CIA." He pushed her behind him and opened the door, angling his head towards the car as the agents rapidly approached. "Hi guys, can I help you?" _Go to the car, Katherine._

"No, we were just getting dinner," the shorter one _**Prescott, James, Cpt., formerly NSA, Fulcrum affiliation affirmative, Ring affiliation unknown **_explained in a friendly voice. "Good place?"

"Oh, yeah, one of the best! You guys from around here?" He risked a glance out of his peripheral vision to see Katherine warily approaching the car and the other agent _**Warner, Alex, Sgt., formerly USMC, Fulcrum affiliation confirmed, Ring affiliation unknown **_approaching Katherine. He began to move sideways towards her as Warner closed the distance.

"No, we're not, but I get the feeling _you _aren't either," Prescott snarled, opening his jacket to show a gun.

"Charles!" Katherine called urgently. She started to quickly backpedal towards the car as Warner picked up speed towards _her_.

_Damn it. _Chuck abandoned all pretense as he took a fighting stance. "You'd be wrong about that. I'm sure that's not unusual." _Now! _He kicked out with his right leg, sweeping Prescott's legs out from under him and grabbed the gun and twisted until it was his. _Gotcha! _He turned back towards Warner and took aim. "I'd let her go."

Warner smirked and drew on Chuck. "Really? I think not."

_Oh hell. _Chuck registered the chill up his spine and took a deep breath. "Your funeral," he shrugged. He reached behind him, and grabbed Prescott's arm, flipping him in front like a shield and shoving him into Warner. "Run, Katherine!" he urged. He could see her hesitation. Prescott recovered his balance and advanced on Chuck as Warner took aim. _Damn it, she's gotta go! _He shoved her towards the car as he engaged Prescott and Warner.

_Block. Press forward. Block. Break his nose. Block. Sweep his legs. Disarm Warner. Knock him out. Damn it! Prescott is running! Pursue. _Chuck took off at a run.

_Damn it!_ Sarah unbuckled her belt, reaching for the door.

"Don't be stupid, Walker!" Casey admonished. "Load the neanderthal in and get back in here," he instructed. As Sarah complied, Casey turned to Katherine, who sat goggle-eyed in the backseat. "Buckle up, this is about to get fun," Casey advised with a sadistic smile. She hurried to do so, and once Sarah was in place, Casey put his foot on the gas.

***

"Prescott, this isn't worth it!" Chuck called. "We already know who you are, it's just a matter of time before we track you down!" Chuck cautiously rounded corners, gun in hand but aimed low. _This looks so much more exciting when it's Sarah and Casey doing it. _"I just want to know what you want from Kat-" A flying forearm rounded the corner as Chuck approached, and he ducked and grabbed the arm instead. "Uh-uh, we're not playing that." Chuck took Prescott's arm and twisted it behind him, wrenching it upwards. "You know, I'm really a pacifist," Chuck explained, wrenching the arm further up as he used the gun to prod him towards the SUV screeching to a halt in front of them, "but something about you Fulcrum guys makes me act out of character." _Considering how you managed to ruin my life and the lives of people that I love. _"Funny how that is."

"Oh please," Prescott scoffed. "I'm not Fulcrum, don't insult me."

"Oh, excuse me, I didn't realize there were standards among traitors!" Chuck said sarcastically. _Never seemed so before. _"Well, then, care to enlighten me?"

"Not a chance," he snarled in response.

"Your headache," Chuck shrugged. _And my pleasure, actually._

"What do you mean?" Prescott asked warily.

Chuck smiled. _Should__'__ve just agreed to cooperate. _"Well, if you're not going to tell me anything useful, you're not going to be saying anything at all until you're in cell." As Prescott attempted to decipher his meaning, Chuck quickly flipped the gun around and knocked him out. _And we're good to go. _He pounded on the trunk two times and heard the latch release.

Sarah leaped from the passenger seat and ran back to help Chuck cuff Prescott and load him in. "What the hell is wrong with you, Chuck? What were you thinking? Contacting Beckman, extracting the girl by yourself...you could've been killed!" _And what the hell would I have done then?_

"Well, so could _she_, Sarah. You know I couldn't just leave her, that's not me." _I__'__m not putting anyone's lives at risk if I can help it. _"Besides, I had 2.0 to help."

"Damn it, Chuck, did you forget that we don't know anything about 2.0? And that Bryce told you it would kill you if that were the only option?" _Did you even think about yourself and your safety at all?_

Chuck sighed as he settled Prescott and Warner back to back, both unconscious. _I _wish _I could forget. _ He held out his hand. "Knock out spray?"

Sarah nodded and pressed it into his palm from her pocket. _Damn it, Chuck._

After insuring Prescott's continued silence, he turned to Sarah. _She was just worried, relax, Chuck. _"I'm okay, Sarah. I wouldn't have acted if I hadn't been sure that I could handle it." _Or at least, _mostly_ sure. _"I was hoping we wouldn't have to confront them, but..." He ducked his head, flushing slightly. "I may have freaked Katherine out a bit, so we didn't make it out in time."

Sarah closed her eyes and shook her head. _Oh, Chuck. _"Guess we still need to work on seduction, hmm?"

_With you? Yes please, _he thought as he remembered their kiss. "Well, I kind of didn't think before I spoke. Which is weird...why didn't the probability kick in to save me before I did it?" He gestured for Sarah to precede him as they headed back to their respective car doors.

"I wish I knew. I'm just..." _God, I__'__m such a mess. If there was any doubt I__'__m compromised…_She stopped walking, and turned around to him. "I'm so glad you're okay, Chuck." She clenched her hands in front of her, twisting them together nervously.

_Oh, Sarah..._"I'm so sorry, Sarah, I know I must've scared the hell out of you," Chuck said contritely. He grabbed one of her hands away. "But I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize myself, you know," he said with a smile. "I have too much to look forward to," he said softly, gently caressing her chin.

She blew out a deep breath as she closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. _He's okay, Sarah. Stand down. _"Okay," she answered quietly, opening her eyes. "I'm sorry, I just..."

He smiled. "Turnabout's fair play, isn't that what they say?" _Superspy taking the backseat can__'__t be a good feeling. _He squeezed her hand gently. "_Now_ you know why I could never stay in the car."

_Crap. He's got me there. _"Yeah, yeah I do." She met his gaze steadily. "I never realized how hard it must've been. I'm sorry for being so hard on you about it."

He gave a self-deprecating half-smile. "Yeah, it was pretty miserable," he admitted. "Especially since I was pretty much in love with you from the start. But at least now I can _help._" He opened his door and got in the car, as Sarah stood speechless beside it.

_In love with me? The whole time? But...Jill, and Lou..._She shook herself. _Just get in the damn car, Walker. _

She obediently got in the car.

* * *

**A.N.: **Okay, realized it was starting to drag on by keeping the chapters to bite-sized pieces, so here's a happy meal. ;) What, too long? Well, make with the clickie and let me know!


	13. The Inquisition

**Chapter 12: The Inquisition**

**A.N.:** I AM SO SORRY. I have had this on my work PDA for week's, but paused to write for the Who Are You Challenge (you don't know Who Are You? Find out who after this)and got totally sidetracked. Weddings, Teen Day fair, and a new addiction to Sacred 2 for PS3 (thanks to my boyfriend for that one) and I'm totally delinquent. I'm working on the next chapter already, and will get that out (I PROMISE) as soon as possible. Without further delay. There was this chick, Katherine, who works with Fleming, Fulcrum, Charah, Orion, and yes, Bryce is really dead. Hope you're up to speed! Oh, and I moved Stanford and LA. So let's either pretend I am actually able to do that, or that I meant that they were _leaving_ in an hour, not getting there. K? :)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Chuck. If I did, I wouldn't be so distracted. He would be all I need... ;)

* * *

"Who the hell _are_ you people?" Katherine burst out as Sarah's door closed. "I am not going _anywhere_ until you tell me what the hell is going on!"

_Oh, is that so? _Casey turned and opened his mouth to answer.

"Case! I got this," Chuck interceded. _We're supposed to get her on our side, not kill her. _He turned to Katherine with a half-smile. "Um, I _am _willing to tell you what I can, but unless you want to have to deal with them," he pointed to the trunk's occupants, "again, can we at least start moving?"

"Oh," Katherine subsided. "Yeah, I can definitely do without another run in with them. Thanks," she murmured in apology.

_No, thank _you_ for getting yourself out of a butt-kicking. _Chuck smiled. "No problem. I know this can be a bit much." He nodded in the rear view at Casey.

Katherine quirked a brow at him. "Oh? You seemed to handle it quite well out there," she remarked.

"Really?" Chuck beamed. _I didn't come across like a moron! _"Thanks, I was a little worried about coming on too strong."

Katherine frowned at him. "Wait! You mean the _flirting_? I meant the _fighting!_" She paused."You were flirting with me for the CIA?" she glared.

_Oh, crap. _Chuck swallowed. "I, uh..."

"I'm sorry, Ms. Alford, but making contact with you using any means necessary was Mr. Carmichael's mission directive," Sarah smoothly interjected. "He stated his objection but was ultimately overruled." _And that's the truth._

"Oh," she said softly. She looked at Chuck with a small smile. "Sorry," she said, cheeks pink with embarrassment. "I jumped to conclusions, and I should know better. Thanks for saving me."

_Thanks, Sarah..._Chuck smiled gratefully at her before turning to Katherine with a sad smile. "I'm sorry, Katherine. Believe me, I know how you feel. I wasn't recruited under normal circumstances either," he volunteered, glancing at Sarah, "but we need your help, just like they needed mine." He paused. _Here goes everything. _"Will you help us?"

"Help you _what_, though? I have no idea why these guys keep popping up, or why they'd even be interested in me at all!" She tried to look them all in the eye but only succeeded with Chuck.

_She really doesn't know? _Chuck swallowed and to compose an answer as Casey snickered.

He glanced in the rear view at them. _Did Bartowski finally find his equal in cluelessness? _"Oh woe is me, I'm researching _how to program people's brains!_ Why would anyone _possibly _be interested in _that?_" he mocked.

_Damn it, Casey! _Chuck shot Casey a glare as Katherine's face paled.

"Oh," she whispered. "Duh, Kat!" she hissed. "Didn't Fleming warn you about this?" she admonished herself.

"Wait, _what?"_ Chuck questioned. _Did I miss something? _"I thought Fleming was just your advisor?"

Katherine looked up. "Um, yeah, but most of the research I'm doing is actually for _him_," she explained. "My thesis is limited, since I'm a grad student. I can only do the simulations; I can't actually test any of this. So I do the sims for myself, but he's the one trying to take the data for human testing." She swallowed as she asked,"Is Professor Fleming in trouble?"

"Professor Fleming _is _trouble," Chuck grumbled reflexively. _Ruining my life either way it turned out. I don't know if I'd rather have been kicked out or joined Omaha!_

_You'd best keep your mouth shut, Chuck..._Sarah turned to glare at him.

_Oh crap. _"Um, I mean...Fleming is, uh..."

"This _does_ have something to do with him!" Katherine exclaimed. "I should have realized when he told me to keep a hard copy of all our data in a safe place that something was fishy. Normally we'd just back up to the university server, but he was adamant that nothing get put on there." She gnawed at a fingernail. "Am...am _I _in trouble?" she whispered, casting panicked eyes at Chuck.

"No!" Chuck reassured her. "No, of course not!" _Oh crap. At least, I don't think...?_

_**29.4 percent probability subject knowingly collaborating with Ring**_

_**32.6 percent probability subject collaborating with Ring through third party**_

_**12.7 percent probability Ring interception of data**_

_**7.9 percent probability research uncompromised**_

_**3.4 percent probability subject directly Ring affiliated **_

Chuck gulped. _Okay, maybe you _are _in trouble..._

_Oh Chuck. _Sarah rolled her eyes at Casey, who snickered. _Think before you speak..._

_2.0 apparently doesn't make you an agent automatically. _Casey reflected with a smirk at Chuck's stricken expression. "What Foot in Mouth Disease back there _should _have said is, if you're as innocent as you say, you're not in trouble. But if you _aren't..." _Casey cracked his knuckles with relish. _That ought to intimidate her if she's innocent... _"I'll take great pleasure in..._reminding _you...of the benefits of being honest." Casey smiled nastily. _I love scaring the new kids..._

Katherine gulped visibly.

"Casey!" Sarah scolded. _What if _I _wanted to scare the new girl? _She glared at him as he smirked unrepentantly.

Casey barely contained his laughter. _Oh yeah? Why so upset there, Walker? Did I take your shot? _He raised a brow at her.

Sarah caught his eye and frowned at the knowing look in them. _Or do I just want to stake your claim, if I'm being honest? Oh hell. Next topic._ She turned to Katherine. "If you're not a threat to us, and you just answer some questions honestly, you'll be fine. We're not here to hurt you, not like them." Sarah pointed back at the Fulcrum agents. "We just need to know why they want you so badly. Is it the research? Are you close to a breakthrough?"

Katherine licked her lips. "Um, I don't...I don't know, actually. Professor Fleming reviews my research and picks what data he wants to present for human trials. So, um, I really don't know, anything, I don't think." She turned to Chuck, worry furrowing her brow. "Do I?" she whispered. "I...I don't know what to..." She dropped her gaze to her lap, gnawing her nails again.

Chuck smiled at her, ducking his head to catch her gaze. "Hey," he said gently, pulling her hand away and squeezing it. "You just tell us what you know, okay? We're just going to drop those guys back there off somewhere safe, and then we'll talk. That's all." _At least, I _hope _that's all, though I guess that depends on you._

Katherine smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Charles," she said softly.

_Poor kid. _"No problem," he replied. "I know how scary those guys," he nodded to the front seat at Sarah and Casey, "can be if you don't know them. We nerds have to stick together."

She laughed. "You didn't look like a nerd to me, fighting those guys. How did you learn to fight like that?"

_The supercomputer in my brain. _"Casey's been training me," he explained. _Not entirely untrue -- a step up from the _constant _lying! I'll take it._

"Well, thank you both, then. I," she looked down, voice dropping to a whisper. "I don't want to think about what would've happened if they'd found me alone."

"Same as this, just meaner and eviler," Chuck volunteered.

Sarah snorted quietly, amused. _Yeah, flirting without 2.0 doesn't seem to go as well. _She paused, frowning slightly. _Well, except with you. He always manages to flirt with you..._Sarah glanced back at them in the rear view. _I know Chuck isn't thinking anything, but her? _She narrowed her eyes at the reflection. _All turned toward him, wide-eyed _'I'm scared'_ clingy, trying to get reassurance, and is that...? Is that her _hand _on his arm? _Sarah took a deep breath and turned back to the road in front of them. _Don't think about it. Chuck knows better. _She risked another glance in the mirror. _Doesn't he?_

***

"What the _hell _was that?" The demand was made in a harsh whisper, the phone clutched in a death grip. "I was told no one would interfere! I don't care what he wants, this is unacceptable! How are we going to get to her now? You don't honestly think...over him? Really? Really." A long silence. "All right. All right, I think we can work with that. Let me think." A dial tone signaled the end of the call. _Why is _nothing _easy when he's involved?_

***

Ellie looked down at the phone in her hand. _Do I call or not? He couldn't even be bothered to say goodbye before the honeymoon? _She punched the numbers in, listened to it ring through, and sighed.

***

**YOUR PHONE. IT'S ELEANOR. **

Orion blinked as his phone began to ring. **DO I ANSWER?**

**HAVE YOU GOTTEN BETTER AT LYING?**

_Have I? I could lie but..._**NO. NOT TO THE PEOPLE WHO MATTER.**

**GOOD. ANSWER IT.**

"Eleanor?"

"Dad? Is that you?" _Finally! _"It's...it's good to...hear..._How could you leave like that on my wedding day?" _Ellie slapped a hand to her forehead. _Idiot!_

Stephen gulped. _She's even worse than Amanda. _"Eleanor, I-"

"You know what? Never mind," Ellie sighed. _What would an answer give you, Ellie? _"I just wish you'd said something, I could've understood. I know it's a lot to handle, especially after so long, but I want you to be a part of my life, Dad." _Please? _"I don't...I don't want to lose you again."

"Eleanor," he whispered. _How much did I really hurt them? Damn it. _"I'm sorry, you're right. I _should _have said something, and I'm sorry. I just don't know what to say, or how to explain..."

"How about 'there are too many people and I'm getting freaked out'? I'm a doctor, for goodness sake, I see all of it. What, agoraphobia? Asperger's? Social anxiety?"

_CIA-phobia. _"I...social anxiety," he sighed. _And that's actually _true. "I'm sorry, Eleanor, I'm just ashamed, and embarrassed."

_Yeah, no kidding. _"I get that, and apology accepted, because at least you said something to _Chuck_, if not me. But no more stealthy escapes, okay?"

_Believe me, I hope not. _"None," he agreed. _Unless it's life or death. Because I'll break your heart if I have to, if it's to make sure you live to feel it._

***

Casey clicked off his Bluetooth. "We have a safe house, en route now." He swung the van into a U-turn that nearly scraped buildings. "No time to waste," he remarked as he put his foot firmly on the gas.

Katherine made a small sound. "Is he always like this?" she asked.

"Hmm..which part? The snarky comments, borderline reckless driving, or the warm cuddly teddy bear?" Chuck smiled at Casey's extended finger as Katherine laughed. "All just a part of the service," he joked. Sarah shot him a look. _Yeah, I know. _"Katherine, I know we've asked a lot of you already, but I need you to trust me one more time. We're going to a safe house, which means we can't let you know where it is. Can..." _This _sucks. _Why the hell didn't they black out the whole thing? I know that's not standard operating procedure..._"Can you trust me and just put on a blindfold?"

She gulped and forced a laugh. "Kinky," she quipped. She took a breath, then tentatively added, "Will you- will you keep-"

_Way to be oblivious, Chuck. _"Oh, geez, of course, I'll keep talking to you, I promise. I'm an idiot, I'm sorry. I'll explain what's going on as much as I can. Fair?"

She smiled gratefully at him."Thank you, Charles." She blew out a breath. "Ready."

Darkness descended, and her breaths came just a bit more rapidly. Then a voice: "So Casey is pretending the speed limit doesn't exist, and Sarah is probably plotting how to keep us safe if he careens off the road..."

Sarah barely stifled her laugh.

***

**WHEN DO WE MEET? **Orion typed.

**SOON.**

*******

Chuck kept a steady stream of dialogue with Katherine until they reached the safe house on the outskirts of town. "And we're here! I vote we stay in the car while the bad guys are unloaded, unless you'd rather get inside, which I totally understand."

Katherine smiled. "I, uh...I wouldn't mind waiting."

_Excuse me? _Sarah whipped around to glare at Katherine.

Chuck looked over to Sarah and frowned. _That's a change..._

Casey followed Chuck's gaze and snorted. "That ain't nothin'," he murmured.

_Really? She's been jealous before? _Chuck beamed while Sarah blushed deep and practically leapt from the car.

***

"Report."

"Yes, sir. Team Bartowski made contact with Katherine Alford and had to effectuate an emergency extraction when two Fulcrum agents engaged Alford and Bartowski. They are currently en route to a safe house. Alford is to be debriefed and I expect to have the team's report by 2400."

"Excellent. Have they any suspicions?"

"None."

"Perfect. Keep it up. Dismissed."

As the screen went to black, she smiled. _Gotcha._

***

Orion rolled his shoulders as he stood. _Search complete, no mention of me or Charles, just references to a source or the Intersect._

_Oh hell. Bryce has the specs for 2.0 on there somewhere. _Looking down at his watch, he frowned. _Guessing safe house? But Charles should at least check in..._After a hearty stretch, Orion sat back down to check their location -- _Safe house it is --_ and started a search for the schematics.

***

"...and then I shot his toe off." Chuck gestured Katherine into the "living room" to a seat on a surprisingly plush sofa. _Guess the _basement _is for baddies?_

"Really?" She sat absently, tapping a foot on the floor.

"Yeah...so, training. It's always nice to have a mentor, a sensei, if you will."

Casey choked. _Sensei? Me? _He frowned at Bartowski, who only smiled widely. _Aw hell, he _means _it. Now I'm even _more _responsible for his ass..._

"That's pretty awesome," Katherine fawned. "So what's the most dangerous situation you've been in?"

_The mission before this one, _Chuck thought automatically. _Oh no. Bryce. _Damn _it. _"I, uh...I think that's probably classified," he offered with a weak smile. "Can you excuse me?"

With a furrowed brow, she nodded.

***

Chuck motioned to Casey as he left the room. "Keep her company?" he pleaded.

Casey only grunted noncommitally. _What am I, a _babysitter? _Let her stew. _Unfortunately he looked in Bartowski's direction, caught the plaintive look in his eyes. "All right already," he muttered, walking into the room.

"Need anything?" he asked. _Freaking Bartowski._

"Um, no, b-but thanks."

He grunted and sat in a chair in the corner, chewing an unlit cigar.

Clearing her throat, Katherine tentatively offered, "I'm really okay by myself -- I promise I won't wander anywhere."

Casey grunted. "Wasn't my idea."

"Was it...Charles?" she asked shyly.

_God, she's a freaking window. _"Standard operating procedure. We don't know if we can trust you, so you don't get left alone." _Get the damn stars out of your eyes._

"Oh," she said quietly. "But, I already told you, I'm just doing a thesis, anything else I don't know about."

Casey snorted. _Yeah, I'm buying that. _"Uh-huh. So professor tells you to do something totally different for the data -- hide it, no less -- and you don't think _anything_."

"Well, I guess I-"

Casey waved a hand. _Like I care. _"Not my problem. I just want to know who's after you so I can go after _them_."

"I don't know! Fleming is the one talking to the government and anyone else who asks!"

"Then you're gonna be here a while. I'll get you a pillow."

"I...what if...maybe I looked at his files? Maybe I have a name?"

_Seriously? _Casey rolled his eyes. "What were you waiting for? Torture?"

Katherine bit her lip. "It's...it's a _general_, though. An Arthur Graham."

"Walker! Bartowski!" Casey stood and moved to join them.

Katherine paused and frowned, tapping her foot nervously. "Who's Bartowski?"

Casey stopped mid-stride. _Oh _hell_._

***

Sarah sat at a computer console, running the agents they'd caught through Interpol. _Kidnapping, kidnapping, murder, arson. They didn't send the bright bulbs...because they thought she was an easy mark, or because they don't want them to ask questions? _She absently nibbled the corner of a fingernail. _Spy life is _hell _on manicures..._

"Sarah," Chuck quietly spoke. _I can't believe I'm _actually _bringing up Bryce, on purpose, right now... _"Got a minute?"

_Oh no, he can't mean to talk about this _now? "Chuck, I'm kind of-"

He leaned in behind her _God she smells good_ and spoke softly into her ear. "Is there a memorial or anything for Bryce?"

Sarah shivered at his closeness and his whisper in her ear even as she closed her eyes and sighed. "No," she said quietly. "Not an official one. If we want one, it needs to be approved by the director. But part of deep cover means giving up things like that."

_'Things like that'? Like it's not important? After all he did? _"No recognition? Just tossed aside, thanks a lot? Are you -"

She turned in her seat as he sat next to her. "Chuck, think about it. What could we say now? It would just be us anyway." _And that would be even _more _excrutiating than nothing._ "Can't tell his family he came back and died again. As far as the world knows, Bryce has _been _dead." She swallowed. "But _we'll _know. _We'll _remember."

_Is that..._"Would that be..."

"The way it was with me? Yes, Chuck, it would." She shivered. _Damn it, I didn't want to think about this._ "It would."

"Oh, Sarah..." Chuck grabbed her hand, squeezed. _How could anyone live knowing that they could cease to exist in a blink? _"Why, Sarah? Why do this?"

"I wasn't going to anymore," she whispered, looking at the table. _And now I don't have a choice._

Chuck closed his eyes. _Damn it. _"And then I downloaded 2.0. God, Sarah, I'm so-"

"Don't, Chuck. Don't. You..." She sighed, squeezing his hand. "You did what you thought was right, and gave up a hell of a lot yourself." _And that's part of what I love about you. I made a choice to do good. You couldn't do anything else _but _do good._

_Oh God..._"But I never-"

"I _know_, Chuck. You weren't trying to hold me here. I heard you, and I believe you. Just another obstacle to overcome, right?" She smiled wanly. _Just another in a loooong line..._

"Sarah, I will find a way to get us _both_ out of this, I swear." _Even trying to do the right thing, I manage to screw things up..._

"Chuck, _no_. I made this choice years ago. _I _can get myself out of this." _And I will, damn it, somehow._ "Focus on figuring out 2.0, that's more important right now."

Chuck smiled the full Bartowski. _A perfect opportunity..._"Sarah, just to be clear? _Nothing _in this world is more important to me right now than figuring out how to be with you."

Her heart melted. "Damn it, Chuck..." _You can't do this to me on the job..._

_Bulls-eye! _He only smiled wider. "Wooing, Agent Walker. Constantly." He stood and started back to Katherine.

_"Walker! Bartowski!"_ called Casey.

_Oh hell. _"Damn it, Casey!" Sarah groaned.

Chuck froze. _Well, there goes my cover._ _Hope to hell she's on our side, or else, I'm screwed._

_***_

Morse code was primitive, but effective. "Intersect functional," the message read. "Orders?"

***

**A.N.**: I know, I know. Transitional. Action picks up in the next bit. Oh? What's that you say? I couldn't hear you, what about who being dead? Hmm...guess you have to hit the review button to speak up!

And when you finish that, go check out the Who Are You Challenge, created by our own fAtEd lOvE. Enjoy!


	14. Common Ground

**Chapter 13: Common Ground**

**A.N.: **I am a horrible, horrible person. I have gravely misled everyone on the frequency of updates. I blame the negotiations to acquire Chuck. No, really. I tried to buy it.

**Disclaimer: **I am poor, so I did not succeed. Chuck is still not mine.

**Additional disclaimer: **I am also 'shipping Glee, so those of you who have me on author alert, do not be alarmed. That is indeed me writing about teenage angst. :-P

* * *

"Who's Bartowski?" Katherine asked again.

Casey clenched his fists to refrain from hitting the door. _Damn mission has made me soft. Amateur mistake, rank amateur._

Sarah breezed in, "Last cover name, just got our new covers today," she said nonchalantly. _Damn it, Casey._

"New...huh?"

Chuck came in last. _Lie, lie, lie. _"It's safer if no one knows our real names, so we change them for missions and in between. I guess Casey," Chuck moved to him, squeezing his shoulder, "just lost track." He looked Casey in the eye, seeing the anger in them. _She'__ll buy it,_ Chuck tried to convey with his eyes.

"Oh...I guess..."

"Believe me, it took some practice for me to get it too. Carmichael, Bartowski, Anderson...Well, Anderson was easier to remember."

Katherine smiled. "Was your first name Neo?"

_And we'__re good. _"Yeah, tried, but they wouldn't go along with it," Chuck joked. _Thank you, nerddom..._Chuck turned to Casey, question in his eyes.

"Tell them the name," Casey muttered as he left the room.

Chuck looked to Sarah helplessly. _Stay here, go after Casey? _

Sarah pressed her lips together firmly. _Casey's probably kicking his own ass. _She nodded slightly in Casey's direction. _Go ahead,_ her eyes told Chuck.

_Oh boy, this should be fun. _Chuck smiled at them both and went to follow Casey.

***

Casey stood outside the holding cells, blowing pungent cigar smoke at the unconscious agents. _Freaking moron is rubbing off on me. Been here too long. I'__m no babysitter, damn it, I need to be out there --_

"Casey," Chuck said quietly. _He looks even more angry than I thought._ "You o-"

_**37.6 percent probability physically aggressive response**_

_**37.4 percent probability no response**_

_**17.2 percent probability derogatory verbal response --**_

_Uh...changing tactics..._"-- offered to spar?" Chuck finished weakly. _Yeah, he'll buy that._

_**68.9 percent probability offer declined--**_

"Yeah, okay," Casey muttered, stubbing out the cigar. _Can_'_t hurt to beat on him a little. Well, _he amended, _won_'_t hurt _me. _Heh._

Chuck smiled. _Guess the almighty probabilities _aren't _so almighty. _"Where to?"

***

"Tell me again," Sarah demanded.

"It was a series of emails between Professor Fleming and someone named Art Graham. General Arthur Graham."

_There'__s no way. _"Did you see any other names?" _Like the Easter Bunny? _Sarah bit the inside of her lip. _Quit it, Walker, she'__s not competition, and she has no clue why that's not possible.  
_

"Why do you keep asking, anyway? I _told _you_."_

"Because I find it tough to understand how a dead man sends emails," Sarah sarcastically explained.

***

**THE SPECS ARE THERE, ORION. WARN HIM. PREPARE HIM. **_Since I can'__t anymore._

**FOR WHAT? **_Besides being a spy in a world where we don'__t know who to trust, that is._

**2.0 IS A WEAPON. NOW HE IS TOO. **_And who the hell knows who's got their finger on the trigger._

Orion scrubbed his hands down his face. _Damn it. _**SO I AM INFORMED. WAS YOUR INVOLVEMENT KNOWN?**

**NO, USED OTHER CONDUITS TO CODE. OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS. **_As if I could afford to be blatantly involved._

_No surprise. _**ANYONE I KNOW? **

**NOT PERSONALLY.**

_Hmm. _**NO LONGER A RESOURCE? **_Because it would be extremely helpful to know who else has information about 2.0._

_If only. _**PROBABLY NOT. SUSPECT HIS ASSISTANT IS COMPROMISED. **_And a damn shame._

_Is anyone _not _compromised in this? _**ANYTHING I CAN DO TO CONFIRM?**

_Do I take him up on it? _He scratched a hand over the scraggly stubble on his chin. _I somehow doubt he'__d do anything to risk Charles. _**ANY INTEL ON A KATHERINE ALFORD?**

***

_I probably don'__t want to know..._Chuck looked around nervously at the padded holding cell for a moment before he heard a growl. Casey came at him with a murderous look and Chuck braced. _Ohhhhh boy..._Chuck blocked and fought not to cower under Casey's barrage. _Bad move, volunteering for an ass-kicking. He_'_s definitely unleashing the Casey..._Chuck swallowed his fear and focused on anticipating and initiating. _Okay, angry Casey is strong, but also focused on kicking my butt. If I can get enough judo..._Chuck visualized the throw he wanted, tried to request a specific download from the Intersect...

...and woke on his back, on the mats. As his breath wheezed in and out, he gasped, "Guess I can't," _wheeze wheeze_ "download one throw," _wheeze cough_ "at a time." Chuck let his head drop back as Casey smirked.

_Thanks, Bartowski. _Casey reached down to help Chuck stand up as Chuck's wrist unit began beeping insistently.

***

"What?"

Sarah sighed. _Quit being mean, Walker. _"General Arthur Graham has been dead for about a year. So whoever Fleming is emailing, it's not him."

"B-But I _saw _the emails."

Sarah barely refrained from rolling her eyes. _Was Chuck this oblivi-- never mind. Yes, he was. _"And I could sign mine as Santa Claus," she muttered to herself.

Katherine frowned, insulted. "You know, I live a _normal_ life. My name is my name, my job is my job, and in _my _world people don't create elaborate schemes to fraudulently email people, so _excuse me_ if I'm shocked."

Sarah turned to hide the sudden burning in her eyes. _Like I don'__t want that? As if I _enjoy _being cynical and...and alone?_ "You're right. Graham's passing is a...sore spot." _Considering he was the only one who gave a damn for me for years._ "All this espionage must be strange to you."

"You bet it is! Were you _raised _like this? You just seem so..._cold_ sometimes." She wrapped her arms around herself huffily, tucking her feet up underneath her.

Sarah's eyes narrowed and she bit down a cutting reply. _She's__ not trying to push your buttons. She's scared and confused and lashing out. Kind of familiar. _Sarah shook off the recollection. _She isn'__t me, and I didn't lash out at Graham for long. _She swiped a hand down her face, lingering to massage her temples. "I'm sorry, this has been an ongoing mission, it's made us all a bit...edgy. We just want to help you, Katherine. But we need to know what you know. They came after _you_, not Fleming. Now, that could just be you're less cautious, more easily accessible, or it could be something else. That's what we need to figure out." Sarah sat on the coffee table across from Katherine. "Please, Katherine, is there _anything _you can remember seeing, or doing, something on the project that might be significant? Are there...I don't know, tests or research that Fleming was particularly protective of?"

"He's secretive about _all _of it, that's the thing! Maybe someone thought I knew something, but I _don'__t! _I really don't, I just...I just wanted to have dinner with a cute guy and take a break and now I'm here and --"

Sarah winced as Katherine's voice edged towards hysteria. "Okay, _relax_, Katherine," she interjected. "I know you weren't looking for this. But sometimes things happen out of the blue and it's up to us to make it into something positive, right? Well, now you get to test your _own _analytical skills. Let's try this. Close your eyes, and picture Fleming's inbox. Try to see the names, besides Graham's. Anything?"

Katherine closed her eyes, and Sarah watched in horrified fascination as her eyes started to twitch in an all-too-familiar way. _Oh hell._

***

Chuck grabbed the unit and connected to his father. **What**'**s going on?** he typed.

**Are you with Alford? **_I don'__t know if I want the answer to be yes or no, _Orion thought bitterly.

**Yes, safe house. **_Why? _

_Oh hell. _**She may be compromised. **

**We know. **_It'__s only been beaten into my head. Almost literally. _**Ring might be behind the scenes.**

**Be careful. Reliable source is also concerned. She may have access to 2.0 coding.**

**What? **_How on earth would she have access to that as a grad student?_

**Fleming helped program 2.0 before I took over. Source used Fleming to insert code. Fleming and source unsure of Alford.**

Chuck took advantage of the padded wall behind him as he thumped his head backwards. _Can'__t I catch a break? _**Basis?**

**Getting that now. Wanted to warn you.**

"Um, guys?" Sarah called down the stairs. "I think I may have figured out what they want with Katherine."

**Hold on, may have intel myself. **Chuck gestured for Casey to precede him back up. "What's up? I'm online with Orion."

"I doubt we'll need Orion for this one, yet. Maybe we need...Omaha."

Chuck blinked. _She can'__t mean..._"She's..."

Sarah nodded slowly. "You've got a bit more in common than we anticipated, Chuck."

***

He tapped his fingers impatiently as he waited for Orion's response. _They must know something. It wouldn_'_t take this long otherwise. _He stroked his chin pensively. _To hack him, or not to hack him..._He sighed as he tipped his chair back. _Not worth it, he_'_ll get back to me soon enough. _He stood, cracking his back and stretching. _What could it possibly be?_

***

Katherine sat with her head in her hands. "I didn't do anything wrong," she whispered. "I didn't, I swear."

Chuck nodded sympathetically. _Oh boy, do I know how you feel. _"I know, Katherine, and no one says you did. What we're trying to figure out is if someone did something wrong to _you._ Sarah said you were trying to remember what you saw on Fleming's email," Chuck prompted.

Katherine nodded. "She told me to close my eyes and picture it, that's all I did!"

_Hmm..._"Do you have a photographic memory?"

She gnawed a fingernail. "Yeah, I have a damn good one. Why?" she asked warily.

_Oh crap. _Chuck ignored her question and asked his own. "Did Fleming ever test your pattern recognition?" _I think I see where this is going..._

Raising an eyebrow, she nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"Katherine, do you remember how you scored?" _Please say horribly, please say horribly... _

"Um, he said he hadn't seen results as good in years. It's what got me so interested in this research, and this project."

Casey and Sarah exchanged a sour look.

"And then there were two," Casey murmured. _Juuuust great._

***

Orion resumed his seat at the keyboard. **TRYING TO CONFIRM INTEL.**

**THAT**'**S FINE. RELAY WHAT YOU HAVE. **_I need to know what we_'_re dealing with._

**ALFORD IS FLEMING**'**S RESEARCH ASSISTANT. DOING RESEARCH ON PROGRAMMING WITH LOWER PATTERN RECOGNITION SCORES. **_And she_'_s likely succeeded. _**TEAM WAS SENT TO MAKE CONTACT. FULCRUM AGENTS INTERCEPTED. CURRENTLY IN SAFE LOCATION UNDER SUPERVISION.**

_Hell. _He leaned back in his seat, exhaling heavily. _The game is afoot. _**MONITOR AND REPORT**, he instructed. **SECURE SCHEMATICS AND RECONVENE IN TWO HOURS. HAVE TEAM ON STANDBY FOR DEBRIEF.**

**UNDERSTOOD. **Orion cracked his knuckles and wiggled his fingers.

Both men turned to the work of hacking and prayed for good news.

***

Casey nodded his head towards the next room. _Gotta talk. Should'__ve known this was more than research._

Sarah nodded and exited.

Chuck turned to Katherine with a strained smile. "We're just going to go talk about what our next steps should be, okay?" _Like off a bridge. This is...not good. Not good at all._

"B-but...I...what did I say? I just - you asked - and I - what did I do wrong?" Her breath hitched. "Just tell me I'm not in trouble, I swear - Charles, I _swear! - _I didn't do anything!" Katherine sat curled up, arms around her knees and tears in her downcast eyes. "I just wanted to do research, to do good..."

Chuck dropped to crouch in front of her, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Hey, hey...We didn't say you did. It's just what you told us...it's really important. And we have to figure out what to do with it. Okay?"

Katherine nodded and Chuck joined his handlers.

Sarah sat, rubbing her forehead wearily. "So that's it, we know why they want her." _And now we can_'_t even let her go back without someone watching her, if we can at all._

Casey grunted #32, disapproving anger. "Can't we do anything simple anymore? For a first run, this is totally FUBAR."

Chuck sank into a chair. "So, what do we do now?" _Besides lapse into despair that this will never be over..._"Tell Beckman?"

_Is there a sieve between his ears? _Casey scoffed. "Sure, let's tell her, so maybe we can make sure the Ring knows if Fulcrum hasn't already told them."

_Idiot. _Chuck sighed. "Yeah, maybe not." _This not trusting anyone is not fun..._He looked down at his wrist unit. "Orion's waiting, though."

Sarah waved a hand at him. "Go for it." _Gives me time to be angry that it_'_s less and less likely we_'_ll get out of this any time soon. _"Casey and I are going to discuss how to get at Fleming." _Without getting caught. And without support from Beckman. Fun._

**High pattern recognition scores**, Chuck typed with a sigh.** Possibly programmed.**

*******

Orion blinked at the words on the screen, hoping he'd rad them wrong. _Oh hell. An unknowing, questionably programmed Intersect._

_Fantastic._

_***_

The message was returned in Morse code, buzzing against her skin. _Maintain surveillance. Infiltrate. Any means._

As she decoded the last, she smiled.

***

**ALFORD QUALIFIES FOR OMAHA. PROGRAMMING UNCERTAIN, **Orion typed. **REMAINS IN CUSTODY. NO FURTHER CONTACT WITH BASE. **_For as long as we can avoid it._

He slammed a fist on the desk in frustration. _Goddamn it. I _knew _something was up. _**ANY INTEL ON FLEMING?**

_That_'_s the question, isn_'_t it? _**WANTED TO REPORT FIRST. TEAM WILL MOVE ON FLEMING.**

**WITH OR WITHOUT BASE SUPPORT? **_If the answer is anything but without…_

**WITHOUT. TOO RISKY. FLEMING IS FAMILIAR WITH TEAM. **_Though whether that's a good or bad thing, I've yet to figure out…_

**SHARE COMM FREQUENCIES. WILL PROVIDE BACKUP. **_This is too important to have them flying completely solo._

**ARE YOU SURE THAT**'**S WISE? **Orion rubbed at his forehead.

He laughed with a tinge of bitterness. **IS ANYTHING ABOUT THIS WISE?**

Orion snorted. _He has a point. _**TRUE. **

**DON**'**T WORRY. RADIO SILENT. THINK OF ME AS…TECH SUPPORT. **_Not an unfamiliar scenario._

Orion snorted again. _I think Charles has the tech under control, but who am I to turn down help? _**FAIR ENOUGH. APPRECIATED.**

Comm channels were exchanged then, and as Orion turned his attention back to the computer, he saw a blinking cursor and the message he'd been waiting for -- "Search complete". He blew out a breath. _Time to see what we_'_re dealing with..._He pulled the schematics up, and set himself to the task of unwinding and rebuilding 2.0.

***

"I need to be the one to talk to him," Chuck quietly declared. "He knows me. If anyone has a chance at getting close safely, it's me." _And I won_'_t have any qualms about taking him down if I have to. _

Sarah frowned sourly while Casey slowly nodded.

"Makes sense," Casey offered gruffly. _Not that I like it either, Walker. _"You'd be the least threatening."

"But I think…I think I have to take Katherine with me. " Seeing the mutinous look on Sarah's face, Chuck held up a hand pleadingly. "Hear me out. If our goal is to find out whether there's any Ring or Fulcrum involvement here, I think I have to see them interact. And unless we're going to kidnap Fleming—"

Sarah pulled out her gun and checked the clip. "Who says we're _not?_"

Casey smiled.

Chuck sighed heavily. _Great..._

* * *

**A.N**: I am so, so, so very sorry for the delay in this. I know where I want to go with this, but I think trying to do such detail (as in, this is chapter 13 and we're still only, what, two days since the finale?) is killing me. I may have to jump things ahead in a little bit, but for right now, my apologies. I could make excuses, but the real fact of the matter is postseason baseball took over my life. 27th Heaven, baby, Yankees win! Theeeeeeeeeee Yankees WIIIIIIIIIIN!!!! ::scurries off to write more::


	15. Next Steps

**Chapter 14 – Next Steps**

**A.N.: **Okay, so if anyone is still reading, thank you, and my deepest apologies. The writers' block is just starting to dissipate, I hate transition chapters, and this is both. Ugh. Bear with me?

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Chuck. Though with such a long hiatus, I apparently am taking after the people who _do_ own him...

* * *

_Hi, I'm Chuck! Here are some things you might need to know, or maybe you might have forgot._

_I'm an unemployed Nerd Herd manager from the Buy More, who was thrown into the spy game by this guy, Bryce Larkin, former best friend, former nemesis...former person. Bryce is a victim of The Ring, a group of superspies who are behind all the other criminal organizations we_'_ve been chasing. Their goal right now? To get to this: the Intersect, version 2.0. The first Intersect was designed by my dad, codename Orion, stolen by Bryce, and sent to...me. It took a good two years to get it out, but well, fate had other plans for me. I downloaded 2.0 after Bryce died._

_So, right as I was about to have a normal life, I gave it up, thinking a normal life meant giving _her _up: Agent Sarah Walker, CIA. Bryce_'_s ex. And the woman I_'_m totally in love with. I sure can pick _'_em. Best part of this whole mess?_

I could have had her.

_I screwed up royally – now I have to save the world when all I really wanted before was her._

_That was before. But now I see that I actually have a purpose, a calling. _

_I_'_m going to be a spy._

_So we kidnapped my old professor_'_s lab assistant when our old enemy Fulcrum came for her. Now we_'_ve got to kidnap the professor himself. Without either the CIA or NSA. Should be fun._

_If by fun, you mean utterly insane._

***

Chuck gave Sarah and Casey a last disapproving look over his shoulder before preceding them into the living room. _I _still_ think this is insane._ He sat on the coffee table and gave the brunette on the couch a half-smile. "Katherine, we need to know more about Fleming to figure this all out. Where do you think he'd be right now?" Chuck asked carefully.

"Did anyone bother to consult a clock, or is spy life 24/7?" Katherine asked sardonically. "I'd say at 11 PM that it's safe to guess Professor Fleming is home, in bed, as _I'd_ love to be!" she added, frustrated. "Explain to me again why I'm _not?"_

Chuck, Casey and Sarah all eyed each other.

_I'm guessing 'because you're potentially a rogue supercomputer' wouldn't go over well..._Chuck snickered to himself. "Katherine, we're still trying to figure out why they're after you," he explained, pointing down to the basement. "We don't want to take the chance that you" _or we, for that matter_ "might get hurt if we let you go home without understanding what's going on."

Katherine huffed, crossing her arms. "I appreciate that, I really do, but this is _insane_, you know that, right?"

Chuck shot Sarah and Casey each a glare. _See? Is it only the _nerds_ that get that?_

"Programming people's brains to be supercomputers or assassins or weapons or whatever is extremely difficult, and dangerous. Who would be crazy enough to play around with their brains?" Katherine asked skeptically.

Casey snickered. _Crazy or stupid, actually_. "Yeah, good question," he offered sarcastically.

_Gee, thanks, Casey_. Chuck sighed. "I don't think they're really looking for _volunteers_ there, Katherine, that's the whole problem. Listen, let's just get some rest, and tomorrow, work on getting everyone back to their regularly scheduled lives. Deal?"

Katherine frowned rebelliously but nodded. "Deal."

"I'll walk you upstairs," Casey volunteered. Looks _like Mommy and Daddy need to fight_. He ushered Katherine around the corner with a warning look at Chuck and Sarah. _Just what I wanted when I told Walker to give it a shot with him, _more_ unresolved sexual tension_.

"I can't believe we're going to do this," Chuck whispered harshly. "_Kidnapping?_ Sarah, doing that without Beckman behind us…it's crazy!" _And I don_'_t know what I_'_d do if you and Casey got in serious trouble._ "What do we do for backup? What if we get caught?"

"What do you suggest, Chuck, we show up at office hours and ask if there's anything he wants to tell us?" _Don_'_t you think I wish that could work?_ She sank onto the couch, tucking her feet underneath her as Katherine had earlier.

Chuck ran a hand through his hair. "Yes! No! I don't –"

_**21.9 percent probability valid responses to interview **_

_**58.1 percent probability false responses to interview **_

_**10.0 percent probability unable to locate target **_

Chuck shook his head in frustration. "It just, going rogue…I can't –"

_**7.3 percent probability rogue operation successful, no collateral damage **_

_**42.8 percent probability rogue operation successful, acceptable collateral damage **_

_**10.7 percent probability rogue operation successful, fatalities incurred **_

_**21.3 percent probability – **_

"Gah!" Chuck let out an aggravated moan as he stood and paced the room. _This is giving me such a headache._ "And the Intersect probability function won't leave me alone, as soon as I show the least sign of indecision –"

"Wait, _what?_" Sarah questioned, eyes focused like lasers on his face. _Should I be worried he talks about the Intersect like it_'_s independent?_ "The probabilities kick in automatically when you're confused?"

Chuck groaned, pressing his hands to his eye sockets. "Yeah, sometimes super-helpful, mostly, super-aggravating." _But at least I figured out what prompts it._

"And dangerous," Sarah sighed. _Damn it, Bryce, what the hell did you want this thing to do?_ "Chuck, you think you're going to know every move in an ambush? You're going to constantly be confused. How hard is it to focus through those probabilities? What would happen in a real fight?"

"When I'm in a fight, that's fine, I just let go and kind of let it go on autopilot," he said. _Wait_. "Oh." _Crap_. Chuck sat down next to Sarah. "_That_'_s_ what he was warning about, huh. That autopilot-"

"- _can_'_t happen_, Chuck," Sarah said urgently. "You can't let your guard down, okay? It's too-" _Ouch!_ Sarah jerked as she felt a pinprick in the leg tucked furthest under her. _What the hell?_ She reached underneath her and fumbled but found nothing. _That was weird_. She shook her head. "It's just too risky, Chuck."

"Well, good thing I took it upon myself to start training already." He ran his hands through his hair. _What the heck did I get myself into?_ Chuck mourned to himself, yet again. "I know we have to do this. I get it." He tapped his skull with an ironic smile. "We need to know what we're up against, and Fleming is unfortunately in the middle of it, _again_." He threw his legs up on the coffee table and leaned his head to rest on the sofa behind him. "Doesn't mean I have to like it, or like that we can't clear it with Beckman." He sighed. "And here I thought Stanford was just a nice school…"

_I wish he wasn_'_t right,_ Sarah sighed to herself. "Yeah. And the Orange-Orange was just a frozen yogurt shop."

"Touche, Walker. Touche."

"Just…be careful, Chuck. I know we'll be there, but I'm still not comfortable with you doing anything but being in total control of the Intersect."

"Sarah…" He picked his head up and took his legs off the table, twisting to face her. "Sarah, in the time it takes me to do that, the time it takes for me – _Chuck_ – to formulate a defense…" He sighed. "Casey's right, I don't have that knowledge yet. I have to rely on the Intersect for that."

Bryce's glassy eyes flashed through Sarah's memory. "Just promise me you'll _try_, Chuck. I need you to not let it get out of hand."

Chuck smiled mirthlessly. "What do you call this humongous migraine I've got going on? I _am_ trying, Sarah, and I _can_ block it out. It just hurts my brain."

She reached a gentle hand to his head, massaging his temple. "Sorry," she murmured. "I just don't want to lose you."

Chuck grabbed her hand and lowered it between them. "Sarah, the decision has always been _yours_," he whispered.

Casey cleared his throat as he entered the room, smirking at their hands. "Enough with the lovey dovey crap, how're we grabbing the bookworm?"

***

An aggravated sigh filled the silence, followed by the clatter of the transmitter being thrown on the desk in disgust. What good is this thing if she hasn't checked in for hours? She better not have screwed up, we need her…

The transmitter beeped insistently, disrupting further contemplation. Finally. The translator displayed the message on the computer screen.

**FR FLMNGTMRRW. RDRS **

What the…? The sent reply was swift. **REPEAT**.

**FR FLMNGTMRRW. RDRS**, the translator reported.

_Well hell. FR FLMNGTMRRW. RDRS. They figured something out, didn_'_t they…Now to be sure that they_'_re caught. _

Sitting at the computer, the crack of knuckles and a deep even breath preceded a flurry of orders.

***

"So what's the plan for tomorrow?" Casey asked. _Besides making goo goo eyes at each other and Walker being close to swooning every time Chuckles looks at her. _

Chuck sighed. _Not to get killed._ "Well, I'm supposed to debrief with you know who by now. Want to do another video conference, or should I just do it on the wrist unit?"

Casey and Sarah shared a look. "You can go ahead and videoconference him at home, Chuck, we can hold it down here," Sarah answered nonchalantly.

Chuck narrowed his eyes at his handlers. _Yeah,_ no. "Or you can just talk about me while I'm in the room."

_Damn it._ Sarah met his gaze evenly. "What makes you think that?"

"Ha!" Chuck scoffed. "I know you both well enough to know that you both hate getting intel second hand. And while I'm sure I'll remember everything, the fact that neither of you wants to go with me makes me think you've got something more pressing to deal with. Namely me. Am I close?"

Casey frowned. _Not bad, Bartowski_. "Let the kid stay, Walker," Casey agreed.

_I wish I could just smack you right now, Casey._ Sarah gritted her teeth. "Fine."

Chuck turned to Sarah, holding his hands out in supplication. "Sarah, unless you're ordering me to leave, I want to be a part of this. I _deserve_ to be a part of this."

_I could order him away, as team leader. But then..._She looked at the earnest plea in his eyes. _That'd kill him._ "Fine, but this is under duress. I wanted to talk to Casey about your training."

"Well, let me tell you some stuff we figured out. First off, the Intersect won't let me download a single move," Chuck explained. _Even if the alternative is an ass-kicking. Thanks again, Casey._ "The info dump is an entire fighting style or nothing. I don't know why, but that's how it is. I'm hoping that'll change as the Intersect and I come to terms with each other."

"Do you realize you're talking about the Intersect in the third person? Like someone -- not even some_thing_ -- outside of yourself," Sarah blurted. _Great job, Walker. Way to lead. Idiot_.

"Until I get it fully under control, it kind of is," Chuck agreed. "It kicks on when it thinks it needs to. It's like AI, except sharing my brain." _Huh. That's actually pretty scary when I think of it like that. _

"And when does it think it needs to?" Casey asked. "If you're short on cash, is it gonna give you every possible lotto combination or something?"

Chuck laughed mirthlessly. "If only hitting the lotto would change anything." _Like take me back in time…_"No, I'm not calculating odds for profit. More like whenever I'm confused and the Intersect deems it important to make a decision, the probabilities kick in." _Which would explain why the thing goes off like CNN on crack when I_'_m trying to figure it out with Sarah_. "Or when I meet someone, if the Intersect has any intel on them, it'll flash it to me."

"Huh," Casey grunted thoughtfully, a #24, meaning he didn't necessarily like what he'd heard. _Thing must give him a migraine around Walker. Poor kid._ "When we were sparring, what was going on? Was it you or Johnny Five up there?"

Chuck snorted. _Only Casey would refer to the Intersect as a prototype robot from the 1980s._ "Both, but I kind of let go a little so I could get the moves perfect. Like I control the higher brain function, the tactics, but the Intersect actually sends the commands to my muscles."

"Sounds like a parasite," Sarah muttered darkly. _Who would design the Intersect like this? _

Chuck smiled weakly. "Maybe a symbiot? You know, like the Trill on Star Trek? Not too scary, right?"

Sarah frowned sourly while Casey rolled his eyes.

***

Orion sat back from the computer, rubbing at his eyes. _This does not look good. It looks like they really built 2.0 to be the ultimate weapon. And now that weapon is programmed into Charles. _He stood, paced the room. _I have got to get it out of him. There_'_s no way Diane will leave us alone if I don_'_t. _Orion cracked his knuckles as he sighed and sat back down. _Speaking of Diane…_He initiated a search for all intel Bryce had collected on Beckman. _Let_'_s see if a fresh pair of eyes can see something Bryce didn_'_t. I hate think that we_'_re rogue for no reason. It_'_s just too damn dangerous to trust her. And, no matter where her allegiance lies, I need to get the Intersect out of Chuck_'_s head._ He scrubbed his hands over his face, pressing the heels of his hands into his closed eyes. _But that means building another one. And that means...He set his fingers to the keys and typed his plea. I don't know if he'll even get this, but..._

**I THINK I NEED TO JOIN THE RING.**

***

Casey lounged in the armchair, staring piercingly from one to the other of the pair on the couch. _What did I tell you, Walker? Do _not _interfere with the mission! _"So? What's the plan?"

Sarah blew out a breath, looking away from Chuck deliberately. "Well, _I _was hoping to have an opportunity to catch him alone, extract him from the building, and return him to the safe house for interrogation."

"Except how are we going to extract him from the campus? There are too many cameras around – trust me, I _know_," Chuck warned. _Just don_'_t ask me how._

Sarah looked at Chuck searchingly and shook her head curtly. _Forget it, Walker, you don_'_t want to know. _"What's your suggestion, then?"

"Easy – pentathol. Or do we expect he has a tolerance?" _If he_'_s an agent – he might. Damn it._

His face must've betrayed him as Sarah smiled grimly. "See the flaw?"

Chuck ran his hands through his hair. _I wish I didn_'_t. _"Yeah. Yeah, I do." He sighed. "Well, I'm still learning. What's the plan, then?"

"How about we get a tech assist and figure it out from there?" Casey suggested, nodding towards Chuck's wrist.

Nodding, Chuck stood up. "We do owe him a debrief. Where to?"

***

"Hi, Dad!" Chuck's face came into focus slowly. "Don't mind us – padded cell with the surveillance disconnected so we can debrief from here."

Orion frowned and shook his head. _I_'_d heard his methods were unorthodox, but…resourceful. I think I might be impressed. _"What's the situation?"

"As I said earlier, there's the high likelihood of Katherine being a rogue Intersect or Intersect-to-be." Chuck took a deep breath. "This also implicates Professor Fleming, again, obviously. I'm having something of a…" He glanced at Sarah. "A difference of opinion in how to deal with this. Sarah seems to think that kidnapping him is the appropriate course of action. I'd rather something less…oh, I don't know, less _illegal?_" He glared at Sarah briefly.

_Oh, son. Not a good idea. _"Charles…you're my son, and I love you. Son, she's right. There's too high a likelihood that any interrogation on campus would be captured somehow. If you properly obscure yourself from the cameras and compel him off the grounds, you'll have a much better chance of him being truthful."

_I was afraid of that, _Chuck sighed, pressing the heels of his hands into his closed eyelids. "Fine," he said curtly. "How do we do this?"

"Simple," Orion said matter-of-factly. "You and Katherine go in together. If he suspects you've discovered Katherine's capacity, there'll be some sort of protocol to terminate if it's a Ring op, I'm sure of it. One way or another, even an _attempted _extraction would be telling." _Sorry, Charles, but being a spy isn_'_t a friendly business. _

Chuck looked from Casey to Sarah to his father, all wearing the same expression of determination. _Guess it_'_s me against the world. I_'_m sure not winning that one. _"Great, we may fail, and by fail, that could include spectacularly in disaster, but _hey_, we'll know what's up."

"Charles –"

"Chuck, get over it," Sarah bit out. "I'm sorry, but this – this is _Mauser_, okay?"

He flinched at the reminder, that his safety was paramount above everything to her. "I don't _want_ it to be," he ground out. "Why is that so wrong?" He threw his hands up in frustration.

"Bartowski." Casey's voice cut through the room and everyone turned in his direction. "Look. This is the job. No one says we're gonna torture him, or kill him. We just need to know whose side he's on, 'cause it's all too obvious he _is _on a side." He shoved Chuck lightly in the shoulder. "C'mon, Chuck, you _know _better."

Orion bit the inside of his cheek as he watched. _I was totally off the mark about your handlers, Charles. You_'_re a very fortunate asset._

"His office is in the Clark Center, northwest side of campus."

Orion punched up a campus map in 3D, projecting it from Chuck's wrist unit. "Campus Drive is right there, going right around. And _out_," he noted.

Chuck nodded weakly. "Yeah, and _out._ I can _still _not like it. And what am I supposed to tell Katherine?"

"The _truth, _Charles. That you're concerned that Fleming may have done something to her, which is what you need to know before she can go back to her life. If she wants it as badly as she claims, you'll have her cooperation."

_Same way I cooperated with Sarah,_ he sighed to himself, glancing at her surreptitiously. _The circle of strife continues…_

"I'll monitor and divert surveillance for you, all you have to do is find him, Charles."

Chuck waved a dismissive hand. "I _know,_ Dad. I'll do it."

Sarah bit her lip and touched his arm lightly. "Chuck, I think we all just know that this is hard for you –"

"Because it's just like how it started for me, maybe? The unsuspecting dupe who gets a bunch of unwanted secrets?"

"Duh," Casey answered from the corner.

Chuck rolled his eyes. "Yeah, okay, I get it. I _get _it. You think the supercomputer in my head isn't _making_ me get it?" He massaged his temples tiredly. "Don't ever think I won't understand because it's Spy World stuff – I can't _help _but get it now."

Casey and Sarah looked at each other over his drooping head.

_This isn_'_t good,_ Casey frowned.

"Chuck? Are you – are you all right?" Sarah asked quietly.

_Get it together, Bartowski._ Chuck shook himself and looked up at them both with a forced smile. "Yeah, I'm – I'm fine, don't sweat it."

"Charles." Orion's voice was commanding from the screen. "Charles, look at me."

He turned to the camera. "I'm _fine,_ Dad." A green laser light poured from the camera's lens. "Oh, this again?"

Orion scowled. "Yes, Charles, _this again._ I want to be sure you're not having any adverse effect from 2.0. The programming is different from the original, which could be imposing neurological stress that – like a hardware conflict, son, and I just want to be sure that's not the case."

_Oh. _"Well, when you put it like that, I get it. No, I don't think there are any conflicts, it's not that kind of pain. I think it's…I mean, this was meant for Bryce, you know? So it's tailored to what Bryce can – _could –_" _Damn it. _Chuck looked over at Sarah in time to see her wince. _Stop the world, I wanna get off…_

"So?" Casey asked impatiently. _If he_'_s not gonna be able to do this, we need to know _now_, not worry about his freaking _feelings_._

Orion sighed. _Thank goodness. _"No, you're fine, Charles, this is psychological, not physical."

Chuck ran his hands through his hair. "See? Told you. Totally fine. Just stressed. Can't blame me." _It_'_s not every day I kidnap a CIA-affiliated professor of mine in a rogue op. _

Casey and Sarah exchanged another look over his head. _He_'_s gonna crack, and soon,_ Casey predicted as he glared at Sarah. _Do something, Walker!_

"We're going to get him in the morning, then," Sarah said calmly. _Keep it together, Chuck. _"We'll get to him when he gets to campus, cancel his classes over email. We take all his computers and between Orion and Chuck, we should be able to get some valuable intel."

Chuck nodded quickly. "Sounds like a plan, great. We done?"

This time Orion frowned out at them from the screen. "Yes, Charles, I'll just need your comm frequency for tomorrow. I'll be using your comms to track you through surveillance." _And why are you so anxious to get away?_

"Thanks, Dad. Talk to you tomorrow." Chuck cut the video link abruptly and left the room.

"What the hell was _that_, Walker?"

"I don't – I don't know. Something's brewing up there, I don't know what. I don't trust 2.0, Casey."

He grunted in agreement. "You shouldn't. Damn, we didn't get to ask if Orion studied the specs any more, if there was anything else we needed to know."

Sarah looked out the door Chuck had left through. "I think he's just as clueless as we are, frankly." She sighed as Casey merely looked at her. "I'll go talk to him."

***

Chuck threw himself face-first into the couch. _This migraine is going to _kill_ me._ He sighed as his eyes got a break from the light. _Is it _supposed _to hurt this much? Wonder if I could ask Fleming…_He snorted at the irony.

"Chuck?" Sarah's voice drifted into the room. "Chuck, are you all right?"

He lifted his head an inch. "In here on the couch," he groaned. _She_'_s gonna kill me…_

"Chuck?!" Sarah crossed to his side quickly. _What the hell?_ "What's wrong?" She pressed her hand to his forehead. _You think he has the flu, Walker? What are you doing?_ She flushed as she sat back on her heels.

"Migraine," he grunted as he lifted his head again. "Bad." He dropped back into the couch. "Lights hurt," he moaned, muffled by the cushions.

"This never happened before," she stated flatly. "What's wrong, Chuck?"

He rolled his eyes behind his eyelids and turned his head, still closing his eyes against the light. "I'm not dying, Sarah, it's not like my dad. I think it's just because I've never had this much imprinted, my regular thoughts are getting…crowded."

Sarah frowned. "Chuck…you know _that_'_s_ not good either, right?" _What could Bryce have wanted this to do? _She bit her lip. _Bryce. Of course. Oh, Chuck._ "It's because the Intersect was programmed for Bryce," she whispered.

Chuck groaned as he understood. _Of course. _"Shallow, superficial, Bryce," he said slowly. "Uh, sorry, Sarah." _That sounds great, trashing him like that._

Sarah sighed and shook her head as she leaned back against the couch from her place on the floor. "No, you're right, that's exactly what I meant. You're…you're like…"

"Ogres are like onions," Chuck quipped. _And an ogre is what I was next to Bryce. _"I know, I've got layers. And Bryce was…"

"Simpler," Sarah supplied with a smirk. "I don't think he'd object to that characterization."

"So I need to stop thinking so much, basically," Chuck said deliberately. "Right?" _Because _that's_ easy._

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I think that pretty much sums it up. So I may as well ask you to stop breathing."

"Hey!" he protested, shoving her lightly from the couch. "Listen, I know I'm complicated, but that's only because I'm chasing a complicated woman." He waggled his eyebrows with effort.

_Damn it._ She bit her lip to contain her laugh. "Chuck -"

He flailed a hand to wave her off. "Sorry, Sarah, forget it. I know, I'm just delirious. I have to get myself under control. I need to train. Sensei will whip me into shape."

"Sensei?" Sarah asked. _Wait a minute. _"Casey?"

He nodded absently. "Yeah, Casey. That's what we were up to before all this. Training." The tension started melting from his skull. _Thank goodness. _"I'm going to do this _right_, Sarah, I'm going to do what Beckman said, and I'm going to train and be a spy."

Her heart clenched as she heard him say the word "spy". _That_'_s the one thing I didn_'_t want for you…_

He leaned over the couch and grabbed her hand. "And then my dad is going to get this crazy Intersect out of my head and I'm going to take you up on an offer I didn't even know you were making and we're going to run away to…Capri."

Sarah chuckled. "Capri? Really? I didn't know I liked Capri."

"It just sounds…_exotic,_" he teased. "Sarah, it's going to be okay. _I_'_m_ going to be okay. I _promise._"

_Yeah, and Bryce promised too…_Sarah shook her head and stood. "Chuck, let me help your training along. Don't make promises you might not be able to keep." She walked away without a second glance.

***

Orion pinched the bridge of his nose. _That went well._ _Charles is almost certainly suffering from being an untrained spy with an Intersect encompassing 90 percent of his brain._ He poured a scotch and sighed as he glanced at the computer screen.

_Oh._

The cursor flashed green on the screen behind the words, **I CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.**

* * *

**A.N.**: Hi! Yes, I know there was nothing much in here but setup. These are the chapters that give me the most problems. I have ideas on scenes I want to happen, but it's the getting there that kills me all the time!

So this will be quite firmly an AU fic after tonight. Can't wait to see what they have in store for us, and I'm sure my writers' block will start dissolving. At least, I hope so…thanks for sticking with me!


	16. Cycles of Beginnings

**Chapter 15: Cycles of Beginnings**

**A.N.: **Bless you all for being so patient. I hope you enjoy.

**Disclaimer: **Don't own 'em. Though S3 isn't as bad as I thought it'd be, so I don't mind as much as I thought I would...

***

Chuck groaned blearily, rubbing his eyes as he squinted out the front window the next morning. "Those the team?" he croaked, nodding towards the nondescript van pulling around to the back of the house.

Sarah nodded, handing him a cup of coffee. "Yes, that's them. They'll take them back and interrogate them thoroughly." _And depending on how much they know, we could all be reassigned in an hour or so.  
_  
"And Katherine?" he asked, sipping with a grateful sigh. _Another lesson in spycraft – sleeping at a safe house is horrible.  
_  
"Depends on Fleming," Sarah replied quietly. _And on whether she pisses me off._

"It always seems to come back to that guy," Chuck complained, shaking his head. _Yet another life to be screwed up on his account.  
_  
Sarah looked up at him worriedly. "Chuck, we don't know that Fleming isn't just a pawn and that Katherine is the one calling the shots. You have to consider that –"

"She could've set that up?" he muttered bitterly. "Yeah, the thought _has_ crossed my mind, Sarah, _thank you_." He stalked away from the window with a sigh. _Didn't we already cover this last night?  
_  
"Chuck, I'm sorry," Sarah murmured, laying a hand on his arm as he walked past. "I don't mean to second guess you again. I just don't want her hurting you." _That_'_s _my_ job, apparently_. "I don't want you to let your guard down."

Chuck sighed. "I'll be careful, Sarah, okay?" _Believe me, the sooner we get this over with, the happier I'll be.  
_  
"Thank you," she said softly. _I can never trust brunettes around him_.

***

Orion scrubbed his hands down his face as he stared at the screen in front of him. _Bryce was right, the intel on Beckman is inconclusive. Her communications are clean, it_'_s just…There were records of meetings, photographs, memos and sealed orders. None of them is a smoking gun, she plays both sides expertly. Which is why I need in. _He clicked over to the surveillance footage from the safe house Charles currently inhabited. _And then I will get that thing out of my son_'_s head.  
_  
He observed the interplay between Chuck and Sarah for a while, a bitter taste in his mouth. _Spies only break your heart, Charles, don't make my mistake.  
_

"Report."

"The Fulcrum operatives have been transferred, the asset is secured in the safe house, pending further orders."

Beckman gazed assessingly at the team. "Mr. - _Agent_ Bartowski, what is your evaluation of the asset?"

_Can we start with, she's a person?_ "Katherine Alford is either an exceptional actress or she is an unwitting pawn in a larger game. The Ring is obviously angling for its own Intersect and they seem to believe Katherine can build them one."

"_Can_ she?"

"Without actually seeing her research, I can't give an accurate assessment." _And even if I could, I don't know that I would tell you.  
_  
"And how risky is it to continue to keep her in custody? Can you keep her under control, Agent?" _I meant when I said any means necessary, Bartowski_...

_**37.9 percent probability asset development successful based on friendly exchange  
49.2 percent probability successful with intimate exchange**_

_Great, so if I sleep with her, I can control her _and_destroy__ her_. "I sure hope so," he muttered to himself.

"What was that, Agent?" _This isn't amateur night, Bartowski__, if you don_'_t believe you can, I_'_m not wasting my time._

"Yes, General, I can maintain the asset provided she resumes her regular routine as soon as possible. If there's any risk, it's the isolation and lack of control she's experiencing." Chuck glanced at his handlers. _Which is why you guys kept me out of the bunker_.

Beckman shared his train of thought, giving a small smirk as she raised an eyebrow at Sarah and Casey. "Sounds familiar." Even the smirk disappeared as she punched up and displayed the mission parameters. "We need to complete yesterday's aborted mission. Agent Bartowski -- do you believe the asset will grant you access to her work?"

"Not by myself, General, I'm certain she would insist on being present. That would also facilitate our entry into the lab. Once there, I believe her interest in resuming her normal life would motivate her to fully disclose her research. I believe she understands she won't be safe until we can evaluate her data." _At least I _hope_ she does_...

"Then do it. Mission directives remain the same as yesterday, do it quickly, and do not attract any attention. Dismissed." The screen went dark.

Chuck turned to Sarah and Casey with a sigh. "So, what's the _real_ mission?"

***

She stalked around the room and was frowning at the closed door when the message buzzed through her foot. **GIVE THEM EVERYTHING**.

She toe-tapped the acknowledgment back and smiled to herself. _This should be fun_...

***

Katherine looked up at the doorway with a frantic plea in her eyes. "Chuck! Thank goodness, can I get out of here now?"

Chuck gave a sympathetic half-smile. "Can we talk?" _Always an auspicious conversation starter, Chuck.  
_  
Katherine nodded, perplexed, and sat on the bed. "What do you want to talk about? Is this about Professor Fleming?"

_It always is_. Chuck's smile went pained. "Yes, it is. Katherine, we need your help. We need you to get us to Professor Fleming."

"Why?" she frowned. "What has he done to you?"

_Manage the asset, Bartowski_. "Not _me_, Katherine. _You_."

***

Beckman sighed and rubbed her temples as she picked up the phone. "Where are they?"

"En route, General. They'll be in the new facility in approximately 20 minutes."

"Good. I'm sending an interrogator. Call code Peony, response Camellia."

"Understood."

She hung up and picked up her personal secured phone. _I hate being the intermediary_.

"Diane, what a pleasure."

"The Fulcrum operatives are being moved to your new Castle. I'm giving you the opportunity to question them yourself if you wish. Code Peony-"

"Response Camellia, Diane, you remembered!" came the bitter reply. _And __of course you__ torture me with it.  
_  
"It was quite the event, how could I not?"

"Maybe because you ruined it not long thereafter."

"I didn't ruin it and you know it. _You_ did. _You_ left. You came to _us_."

"And what else was I to do? Keep a bullseye on my family? I was told if I joined Omaha, this would all go away."

"And that was the plan. He stumbled into that class, he was tested, and we intended to take care of it, once we realized. Larkin saved us the trouble and sabotaged the test results. But when Larkin got caught, _he_ chose who he sent it to."

"You could have-"

"Stopped it? No, I couldn't. It was too late when Walker got to him. And he chose 2.0 _himself_. So, no, I could not. Don't blame me if he is his parents' son. Believe me, I'm just as thrilled as you are. I ask again, will you interrogate them yourself or shall I send someone else?"

"I'll see to them myself, Diane. I owe my son that much." Sighing in frustration, Amanda Bartowski clicked off the call.

***

Katherine sat in the passenger seat, nervously looking out the window once she pushed off her blindfold. "Why...why do I have to sit up here?" she asked Casey timidly.

_You mean why aren't you with Lover Boy?_ "You want to be knocked out completely?" He lifted his hand to pound on the separator.

"No no no no no!" Katherine protested vehemently. "I mean, um...no thank you?"

Casey snorted a laugh. "Yeah, thought so." _Chuckles isn't worth that_. "They're still strategizing back there."

Katherine shifted in her seat. "About what?"

Casey lifted an eyebrow. "What's it to you?" _I still don_'_t trust you, little Miss Innocent.  
_  
"Well, if I have to help and play along, and...whatever, aren't I entitled to know?"

"Entitled?" Casey glanced at her to be sure she wasn't smiling. _Just what I need, another moron_. "You're serious."

She only looked at him in confusion. "Of _course_ I am!"

Casey rolled his eyes. "Entitled and the United States Government? _Don't go together._ Our government is entitled to their control, and you are entitled only to _air_. That's it. You're not getting anything out of us unless we deem it necessary. Not just 'cause you're curious. You know that saying curiosity killed the cat?"

Katherine nodded.

"_Apply here_," he said curtly, and rolled his window down to treat himself to a cigar.

***

"Charles? Are you all right?" Orion peered at his son in concern. _This is truly taking its toll on him._ He punched up the 2.0 schematics again, frowning. _We really need Fleming on this. I sincerely hope he_'_s just an unwitting pawn.  
_  
Chuck popped two pills with a cup of coffee. "Caffeine, should help," he said hopefully. "I think I've just been overthinking," he joked.

Sarah swallowed as she looked from the small viewscreen to Chuck. _He really doesn_'_t look well_. "Orion, is this something we should be concerned about?"

_Damn it, Sarah, I_'_m a big boy!_ Chuck turned to glare at her, but stopped himself. _She really looks…__She_'_s actually really worried, Chuck, __give__ her a break._ Blowing out a breath, he reached over to touch her arm. "I'm okay, Sarah, I promise. Let's do this!" He smiled encouragingly at her.

Sarah frowned at him, quirking an eyebrow. "From 'insanity' to' let's do this'?"

_Aw, crap, just_ – "It's just Spy World stuff, Sarah, I'm still catching up!"

"You think you have time to catch up, Chuck?" she bit out. _I can_'_t take the chance that you_'_ll get yourself hurt, you idiot!  
_  
Orion bit his lip as he watched the argument continue. _Those two are ridiculous. Amanda would_'_ve loved to see this_. He swallowed hard as his stomach turned. "Could we, perhaps, focus?" he interjected. _Charles, we need this to work and you know it. And I_'_m sure the Intersect has told you why._ He met his son's gaze with a raised eyebrow.

_All right, all right, Dad, I know._ Chuck blew out a breath and dropped his shoulders. "Sorry."

"Your objective is to get to Fleming before his day officially starts, that way he can have a family emergency to tend to. Have him bring the backup of all his research and correspondence. And Charles -- don't let him convince you they don't exist. I worked with the man for years -- he _always_ backs things up."

"Is that what Katherine found?" he asked. _Or was it yours?  
_  
Orion cleared his throat. "It wasn't mine or Fleming's, Charles. Omaha was comprised of a vast number of people, and recruiting through Stanford means there were quite a few people others who'd be taking notes like that."

"Oh," Chuck acknowledged. _Should've known better._

Orion shared a pointed glance with Sarah. _Don't you dare say anything.  
_  
Sarah looked at Orion quietly, recalling the Omaha brain trust. _If Chuck hasn_'_t flashed, I_'_m not telling him a thing._ She nodded imperceptibly.

"And no cover, just plain old Chuck Bartowski looking for closure and direction," Chuck clarified. _Gee, I hope I can still be plain old me_, he thought sourly. "Just the loser from the BuyMore," he said quietly, bitterness seeping into his tone. _I will not let Beckman make me that guy. No way.  
_  
Sarah traded another glance with Orion as she placed her hand on his arm. "Chuck, now, more than ever, that's just your _cover_. That's not _you_. We will talk to Beckman about your new cover job. Okay?"

_Get a grip, Bartowski_. Chuck snorted. "Great, my inner monologue sounds like Casey," he muttered, shaking his head. "Yeah, I'm sorry...I just...I feel like I'm not in control of my life again and I hate it. I finally have a real purpose, one I _chose_, and I -"

"Charles, I promise, you will get to be whomever you truly want to be if it's the last thing I do," Orion interrupted earnestly.

_Oh my god! Dad!_ "Dad, how are _you?_ Any more nosebleeds or anything?"

"Charles, I'm fine, truly. I haven't tried to flash, I've been doing computer research. I'm being perfectly safe." _Except for the part where I asked to join the Ring_.

Chuck frowned at the screen. _Why is there something in his voice I don't trust?_ "Okay...but tell me if anything, Dad, promise me. I can't lose you. You're the only family El and I have left."

Orion glanced at Sarah. "Oh, I don't know about _that_, my boy, you seem to have built quite the family for yourself."

Chuck glanced at her as he allowed himself a small smile. "Yeah, I think you might be right about that. _Aaaaaaand_ the caffeine kicked in! Headache gone. See? Easy." He rolled his shoulders. "Okay, so, Fleming."

"You should be fine, Charles, the only danger is having Katherine with you. Make sure you introduce yourself before he gets a chance to say anything. We still don't know her affiliation and we don't need your cover blown. Convince him to take the day, and to give you his computer access codes. If he tries to convince you his backups are in a safe deposit box, forget them -- that's a contact protocol for the Ring from what Bryce's research indicates. Fleming won't know about Bryce's research even if he knows about Bryce's death. Extracting him should be safe, but abort if you get any inkling to the contrary, it's not worth it."

"But if we abort after making contact, our mission is blown," Chuck said slowly. "Right?"

"What is the first thing he would do, Charles?" _Time to start thinking like a spy._

_Duh, Chuck_. "Contact the Ring. And he won't think we have you, so you can trace it and tap it. Got it. Win-win for once," he answered, relieved. _At least there's _something_ redeeming about this insanity.  
_  
"For once," Orion agreed with a small smile. "Comm frequencies?"

Chuck rattled them off as Sarah sighed and ran her hands through her hair. _I really hope this works.  
_  
He turned away from the screen with a heavy exhale, rolling his neck to release the tension. "Sarah? You okay?"

_No_. She turned to him with a half-smile. "I'll be fine, Chuck, I just wish there was another way. I hate sending you in alone."

Chuck nudged her with his shoulder. "I won't be, though, I'll have you and Casey and 2.0." _Though, I wouldn't really trust 2.0 in this situation. It'll probably come up with creative ways to kill him with a shoelace...  
_  
_And be alone in a room with two people who could potentially want nothing more than the information in your brain, whether you're breathing or _not..."Just remember -"

"- be careful, I _know_, Sarah. Believe me, the roller coaster in my stomach is telling me quite clearly that I'm more than a little out of my element, and more than a little at risk. I don't like this any more than you do, but my dad has gotten me through worse things and so have you. To have everyone on the same side? I've got an _awesome_ team." _Man, __I really hope Ellie and Awesome are having a fantastic time..._someone_ deserves to._..He shook his head and smiled at his preoccupied handler. "If I have to do a rogue op, this is the best I could hope for."

_Hope you didn't just jinx this, Chuck_. Sarah feigned a smile.

***

Amanda sighed, picking up the picture on her desk. _I can't believe after all that heartache, we still end up in the same place._ She stroked a gentle fingertip along their faces_. I gave up my family, my life, to get __a __surveillance__ photo__ of my daughter's wedding, a copy of the diploma the CIA got my son...__only__ to find out that __leaving__ was useless. I never believed in destiny, but this is ridiculous..._She stripped as she moved to the bedroom to change into a suit. _The least I can do is find out what the hell the Ring wants with that girl and my research_. She strapped on her sidearm and looked at herself in the mirror. _Been a while since I've seen myself like this..._

_"Amanda? Why...why are you doing this?" Stephen's voice was broken, his bubbling and bumbling drowning in his incredulity. "I know I work a lot and it makes it hard on you with the kids-"_

_"And you know full well this isn't about that. _It isn't_, Stephen, it's...I just can't. I'm sorry," she said quietly._

_"They've called you back, haven't they. They want you in this, in Project Omaha."_

_"Stephen -"_

_"No! Amanda, _please_...they already have Fleming and me. Why do they need you?" _

"_You _know_ why, Stephen – you computer guys are many, biochemists are few. You can work from here. I _can't._ And you know how they are when you_'_re called back. It_'_s for the best, they_'_ll leave you and the kids alone. I promise you that._"

_"__They_'_ll leave us alone and so will you,"__ he spat bitterly._

_"__Like this isn_'_t killing me? Like I want__ this? I_'_m dying__, Stephen, but I don_'_t want my children to have this hanging over their heads. If I do this, they leave Ellie and Chuck alone, they don_'_t even test them for Omaha. You know they wanted them,"__ she whispered harshly. "__I won_'_t let them. I won_'_t. Not for what this is sure to become."_

_"__Omaha is going to be more than soldiers, Amanda. They_'_re going to be spies, __not mindless weapons."_

_"__I wish I was as certain as you. But the alternative is a risk I_'_m not willing to take. I won_'_t let my children be test subjects, Stephen. You can do this. You can take care of them here, and I_'_ll take care of them from the inside. I_'_ll come back to you if I can, I promise you that too, Stephen. I will if I can."_

Amanda shook her head and slid sunglasses onto her face, stepping into her stiletto heels as she swept out the door. _I_'_m still trying, Stephen. I_'_m still trying._

***

The van rolled to a stop as Chuck blew out a breath. "Red team go, red team go," he teased as he opened the door. "See you in a bit, Sarah," he said firmly.

"You better," she warned. "Be careful, Chuck."

He smiled. "See you in the lab."

She nodded as she strapped on her gear. She threw her jacket on and climbed out, heading off towards her objective.

Chuck's objective arrived at his office ten minutes later, to find Katherine nervously pacing and Chuck lounging in his desk chair.

"Professor Fleming. Charles Carmichael, remember me? Long time no see. Recruit any CIA agents lately?"

***

**A.N.****: **I'm tempted to break into song – you know that Celine Dion one? "It's all coming back to me…" The writer's block is vicious, but I am starting to get my mental momentum back. Anyone still reading to care? Let me know with the clickie!


	17. Fascination

**Chapter 16**: **Fascination**

**A.N.**: I'm getting better at the transitions, right? I'm working on the next chapter being an action chapter, here's hoping between White Collar and Burn Notice I can pull that off…

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. Not even those weird Pod!Chuck and Pod!Sarah from vs. the Mask…

***

Orion shook his head with a sigh. _Has it only been four days? It feels like a lifetime..._ He wandered the room, the comm channel routed to the speakers wired throughout the basement. _Never would've pegged Bryce for sentimentality..._He picked up a picture of Bryce and Chuck with a frown. But _apparently I didn't know him as well as I thought in the end...  
_  
His ears perked up at the sound of a door closing. _Showtime, Charles_. Stephen grabbed his ear piece, settling it in his ear as he shut off the speakers.

_"Recruit any CIA agents lately?"_ Chuck's bitter voice asked.

***

Fleming's eyes darted frantically between Chuck and Katherine. "What is going on? Katherine?"

Chuck stood from the chair, letting out a long, slow breath. _Focus, Chuck, no going off the deep end or 2.0 will have you attacking him._ "We need to have a little chat, Professor, and we need all of your research and your notes on _Katherine's_ research."

"Katherine?" Fleming asked, puzzled. "How - why -"

She shook her head at him. "Charles met me on campus yesterday and thank goodness he did -- I was almost abducted. _Kidnapped!_ By those two creepy guys I told you were following me around. And you never believed me!"

"Katherine, you must understand, I had no reason to believe anyone would -"

"Oh, come off it, Fleming, she has the aptitude and the research. You really never _once_ thought that she was at risk?" _Didn't you learn anything from the last time?_

"I kept everything under lock and key, passcoded and encrypted!"

"Like that could really stop them," Chuck scoffed. "You've been in Spy World long enough to know you don't _dabble_ in stuff like this!" _And especially without telling the CIA! Whom you _work_ for, remember?_

_"Easy, Chuck,"_ Casey muttered through his earwig. _"You've got him nervous, bring him home."_

"Professor, we need you to cancel your classes today, collect your research, and come with us." He moved out from behind the desk, gesturing Fleming around it. "Well, we may have _already_ cancelled your classes, but we _do_ still need that research, and _you_." _Or possibly your dead body, depending. Damn it, Chuck, quit thinking like Casey!_

Fleming blinked at Chuck and at his research assistant. "This is...this is _serious_."

"As it gets," Chuck affirmed. _You're only _just_ getting that?_ "Do you have your backups here?"

"No, I keep them in my safe at home," he murmured, pinching the bridge of his nose.

_At home__…__ same difference?_ His father's voice was silent. _Hello? Dad? Hearing no objection…_"Then we'll take you. A member of my team will drive your car, you can ride with us."

"_Your_ team?" He frowned at Chuck, the question on the tip of his tongue.

"A few things have changed since last we saw each other," Chuck said with a tight smile. _Life, death, _de_programming, _re_programming...  
_  
"Bryce?"

Chuck shook his head. _You think I'd be here if he was still alive? _

Fleming collapsed into his desk chair, visibly shaken. "That's why they want her," he realized.

Chuck nodded. _Thanks for that, Professor. That's two of us marked because of your work._

"Could you both stop talking about me like I'm not in the room?" Katherine burst out. "Who are they and why do they want me? What did you do to me, George?"

"Me?!" Mouth dropped open with shock, Fleming looked from Chuck to Katherine and back again. "Katherine, I would never -- did you -- did he...?"

Sighing, Chuck shook his head again. "I didn't say anything and we didn't test anything. We wanted to bring you in first."

"Charles, I've never - I would _never_ test anything..." he protested. Turning pleading eyes to Katherine, he swore, "I didn't do anything to you, Katherine, I _promise_." Punching in a last series of codes, he held a flash drive out to Chuck. "Everything that's here," he said quietly.

_Part One done._ "Thank you," he said, calmer. _The sooner this is over, the better I'll feel…_ "Lab next," he directed.

***

_I don't like this..._Sarah rubbed her arms nervously as she stood in the darkened lab. _Something is off here, I can feel it...  
_  
"Orion," she murmured quietly, "are we clear?"

"Yes, we are. Though for some reason security was going to check that lab this morning, it was a special memo." _And one I'm highly suspicious of…_"I took care of it, and I'm still backtracking through the system to find out why they were changing their rounds..."

"Tell me if you find anything?"

"Of course," he assured her. "Are you all right?"

Slowly shaking her head, she looked around the room. "No, there's something off. Keep digging, Orion, they're here."

The door opened behind her and Sarah exhaled. _Phase One and Chuck is still okay. Relax._

Katherine led them in, flipping the lights on as she did. "Did you..."

"I didn't touch anything, I just wanted to see if anything had been touched or tampered with since yesterday." Reaching into her tac vest, Sarah extracted a mini hard drive. "You're up," she said matter-of-factly, and handed it to Katherine.

Katherine turned it over in her hands and headed for the terminal in the corner of the room.

Sarah turned to Chuck with a tight smile. "Everything okay?" _Like you didn't just hear all that…_

"_I'm_ fine, Sarah," Chuck reassured her, taking her elbow to draw her off to the side. "But I'd love to know who tipped off the security team…"

_**89.7 percent probability security engaged by targets**_

_**9.3 percent probability security engaged by outside affiliates**_

"More like who as between Katherine and Fleming, since it's a pretty sure bet it's one of them," Sarah murmured, looking over at the two suspiciously. "Any…" She gestured vaguely at his head.

_Any help from 2.0, you mean__? _"I wish," he muttered. "Would be much easier if I did. Guess I'm going to have to trust my team to figure this out, the old fashioned way." He smiled reassuringly. "Good thing I have the best damn team in the business." He held her gaze as she smiled back uncertainly.

_I wish I had your faith, Chuck,_ Sarah sighed to herself.

"_Charles, the backup is complete – are they moving away from the computer?" _Orion's voice broke Chuck from his contemplation of Sarah and he looked to the back corner to see Katherine remove the drive. "Yes, done," he said quietly as he approached them. "Katherine? You okay?"

She let out a shuddering breath as she relinquished the drive. "That's years of my hard work, and now I have to…I have to…"

"Katherine and I were discussing how we may need to abandon the project completely," Fleming offered quietly.

Chuck only pursed his lips, nodding. "I'm sorry, Katherine." _I just hope it's that easy, and that they haven't actually done anything to you…_

She shrugged with a half-smile. "Alive with a failed thesis, or a successful thesis and I'm apparently America's Most Wanted, right?" Rubbing her arms, she turned vulnerable eyes to his. "Charles, would…would they tell me if I was actually on to something? The government? Would I ever know if my research, my theory, was right?"

Chuck swallowed hard. _Oh God. _His glance darted around to see every eye in the room plastered to his face. _Welcome to Spy World, Chuck._ Looking Katherine carefully in the eye, he answered flatly.

"No."

***

Amanda walked into the room, moistening her lips as she saw the two men in their cells. _Typical mid-level thugs. They're not going to know much. _She cracked her knuckles, even as her heart shut down. _Much._

***

He ran his hands over his head, breathing evenly as he monitored Orion's channel. _This is just what we were afraid of. Just what we wanted to guard against. _He scratched over his beard with a frown. _And all our best laid plans were for naught. It's as if the Intersect _insists_ on a Bartowski…_He smoothed the creases from the well-worn photo on the table, shaking his head. _All we wanted was out, and we never managed to get there. _

**ANY SURVEILLANCE ON FLEMING'S HOME? **The cursor blinked at him as Orion initiated contact.

**YES, ****TAPPING INTO IT NOW.** He looked around the room with a sigh, the various monitors set to his private surveillance. **NO ONE ON PREMISES.**

_I'm a spy that spies on spies. __Like IAB, but with less friends. _He poured himself a scotch and crossed to the window, peering out at the world.

***

Casey pulled up next to Fleming's car and sat in the van, chewing on a cigar as he listened. _Just great, we need to get the egghead home, we have no intel, no surveillance, and no backup. _He glanced out the window, seeing them approach in the rear view. _Great, I get to ride with the Nerd Herd even in my _real_ job…_He growled lowly as the door opened.

"Casey –"

"Yeah, Walker, I monitor my comms, I'm stuck on nerd patrol. Can we at least secure the rear so they can ride in the back with Bartowski?"

"That we can do," Sarah said with a smirk. "Sorry, Casey, I know how much you hate transpo duty." She climbed into the rear, shielding the monitors and equipment. "We're going to have to leave the divider open for obvious reasons, but I'm sure they won't bother you. Chuck's transmitting the address to the GPS from his wrist unit, you should have it up by now."

_I didn't see any – oh. _He grunted in confirmation, the route scrolling past.

"I'll drive Fleming's car, we get the backups, leave his car somewhere, tell his secretary of a family emergency. And we figure this out."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Casey glanced in the rear view to see everything secured. "Let's get this sideshow on the road," he growled.

***

Chuck kept a wary eye on his handlers, unsure of the conversation.

_**57.2 percent probability discussion **__**regarding Intersect**_

_**41.4 percent probability discussion regarding target**__**s**_

_**1.6 percent probability discussion unrelated**_

_Wait. Not handlers. Team. They're my _team. _Which means I have every right to just ask what's going on. _Chuck moved behind Fleming and Katherine. "Uh, guys? Everything all right?" he murmured into his watch.

"Yes, Chuck, bring them in," Sarah's voice replied. "We're secured."

"Katherine, Professor, your reluctant chariot awaits," Chuck said lightly, ushering them forward. Sarah met him at the side of the van. "Guessing you're driving the car?"

She nodded, twirling the car keys. "I'll try not to beat you there," she teased.

"Yeah, don't think so." Chuck looked at the mini Cooper. "Sorry, Sarah, I know those things are an insult to you."

"Hey, you had to drive the Herder, they should be an insult to you too." _And now to the real topic. _"Chuck, is that data scrambled enough to –"

"Sarah, I'm sure, the data is corrupted and scrambled. If Orion says he's taking care of it, I believe him." _And you know that. _"What's going on?"

She grabbed his arm and hauled him away from the van. "One of them is obviously not on our side. Security was tipped off. There's something seriously not right about this. And I just can't feel comfortable leaving you."

"Sarah, you have to stop, okay? Seriously. You have to stop. I can do this. Casey's there. I can even ride up front with him if you want. But you have to stop doubting me. We're a _team_, Sarah. Granted it really just dawned on me a few minutes ago," he clarified with a self-deprecating smile, "but we are. You have to trust me. You _have_ to." _Please. Or else what the heck are we trying to do here?_ He locked eyes with her, pleading.

_But you wanted a normal life and then you re-Intersected yourself, I don't know what to think anymore…_Sarah caught her breath as the thought occurred to her. _Damn it. Idiot. _"You're – Chuck, you're right. I'm sorry. I just haven't gotten my feet back under me. I just have this horrible feeling we're missing something obvious."

_You're not the only one. _"I know, me too. But the best we can do is be careful, and let Orion do his thing. Okay?"

Sarah rolled her eyes. "How did this turn into _you_ reassuring _me?_"

"Because I'm the one choosing to be involved this time, and you're the one forced. I'm sorry, Sarah." _And please don't get killed for me._

Nodding uncomfortably, she broke away. "See you there, Chuck," she said quietly, forcing a smile. _Focus, Walker, you can't afford not to, you're the one who just _said_ so. _She climbed in the car and started it up.

Chuck climbed into the rear of the van, closing the door behind him. "We're a go, Case."

***

"You're the Marine Corps. Damn shame. But I doubt Fulcrum would've bothered with advanced chemical training with you. You're the muscle. Their mistake." Tapping the syringe gently, Amanda eased it into Alex Warner's vein. "I just need to ask you a few questions, and then we'll be moving you to a nice comfy cell to wait for your ride."

She swept her bangs out of her eyes as she sat back in her chair. "How are you feeling, Alex?"

"Fine," he said quietly. "Scared."

_Ah, and that's the pentathol. _"You're just a grunt, sweetheart. It's okay." _And this is why Fulcrum unraveled fairly quickly. _"Who do you work for?"

"Fulcrum."

"Who was your target at Stanford?"

"Katherine Alford."

"Why, Alex?"

"Fulcrum thinks she could make us an Intersect."

"Any other reason?"

"No, why?"

Amanda sighed. "That's just what I wanted to hear." _Thank goodness._

***

Beckman lit a cigarette, leaning back in her office chair as she took a long drag. _This is going to be a long day…_She checked the GPS tracker on Team Bartowski, finding it still on campus. _I hope this just means they're being thorough. _She looked to her blank computer screen. _I suppose nothing too significant is happening, or I'd be hearing from _someone_. Honestly._

Orion frowned as his tap picked up Beckman checking on Charles and the rest for the third time in under an hour. _She either doesn't trust them, is nervous as hell, or isn't on our side. Damn it. Bryce wasn't kidding. She's good._

***

**ADDITIONAL TARGET SECURED. MOVING TO SECONDARY LOCATION, **came the long-awaited message.

The sly curve of the responding smile gleamed through the otherwise empty room.

***

Amanda slipped out of the room, cell phone to her ear. "No, nothing, Diane. He didn't even know why he was there."

***

**A.N.**: Ha, so who wants to guess which of the cast of characters is good, evil or otherwise? Seriously, go ahead, I'm still taking suggestions. ;) Hope you enjoyed!


	18. Revelations

**Chapter 1****7: Revelation**

**A.N.**: Okay, so here's my attempt at action and answers to some of the questions I've created. My muse is apparently on vacation, and after this chapter, so is this fic. I don't want to give you crappy updates, so I'm going to give you some clarity here, and then take a break to see if my muse returns. I hate to be that author, but it's that or a half-assed attempt! Even this is a bit more deus ex machina than I want it to be, but I didn't want to leave things too unresolved either. Mea culpa.

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. If they were, I'd treat them much better, I swear.

* * *

The van rolled to a stop in front of a modest looking ranch house. "Very nice, Professor," Chuck commented with a small smile. "Not too big, not too small."

Fleming smiled back faintly. "Glad you approve, Charles," he tiredly replied. He smoothed his hands over his head and sighed. "I wish you were seeing it under better circumstances."

"You know what? Me too," Chuck said with a regretful laugh. "Me too."

***

**SURVEILLANCE STATUS?** Orion typed. _I'm not taking any chances with Charles being out there. _

**MONITORING. NO CARS ON PREMISES BESIDES ****OUR VEHICLES.**

_Our? Really? And where are _you_, exactly? _**AERIAL SCAN AVAILABLE?**

_Damn it, why didn't I think of that? Am I getting soft out here? _**WORKING ON IT NOW.**

***

"No, Diane, I'm telling you, he only knew the name and description of the target, that's it. Nothing about her research. It's typical Fulcrum, we both know it is." Amanda Bartowski tapped her fingers on the desk impatiently. "If you don't trust me, you should've sent your _own _operative."

Diane Beckman sighed heavily. _You _are_ my own operative. _"No, I believe you. Have you interrogated both of them?"

"I used the pentathol on the Marine, the other is NSA. Unless you want me getting creative, I don't have the facilities out here." _Though there's a sadistic part of me that just wants to start breaking bones…would that work? _"I have no authorization to offer him anything, and I don't have my equipment. What would you have me do?"

"Anything, Amanda. Is that what you want to hear? All measures authorized." Beckman crushed out her cigarette in the ashtray on her desk, massaging her temples. "Just find out if they know how to build an Intersect." _And if they know anything more than that. _

Amanda blew out a breath. _Finally. Don't think I haven't guessed you're testing me, Diane. You wanted to know whether I would go beyond to get the information. _"I remember our agreement, Diane, your position is too important," she sighed, rolling her eyes. "How many times will you test me?"

_Until I believe you. _"Go ahead, just get what we need." She hung up unceremoniously.

Barking a laugh, Amanda hung up the phone. _Well. She's definitely worried if she wouldn't even wait for them to be brought in to her. Which means this girl's research is the real thing. Damn it._ She ran her hands through her hair and laced her fingers together at the back of her head. _Damn it._ Dropping her hands, she walked into the other interrogation room.

"Hello, James. Long time no see."

"Aero?"

***

Sarah parked the car in the garage, trusting Orion to cover the security feed. _Can I just take a nap? Or maybe a vacation?_ She parked and exited with a sigh, joining Chuck, Fleming and Katherine around the back of the house.

"Casey?" she asked.

"Securing the van and the premises. We'll be in business momentarily." Chuck's eyes scanned the area as he angled himself between Katherine, Fleming, and the front door. "You have his keys," he said in confirmation. _Of course you do, you have to._

Sarah jingled the key ring. "Mine until we get in there first," she said with a smirk. _I don't trust anybody at this point._

The front door opened and Casey motioned them in, his knees creaking. _Stupid yuppie marble countertops._ "Where's that safe of yours?" he growled in Fleming's direction.

Fleming jumped at the question. "Sorry, it's up in my office." He started walking, glancing uncertainly at them. "Are you -- "

Chuck joined Fleming at the head of the group, tossing a faint smile at Sarah. _My asset, right? _"It's all right, Professor, we just need your backups, that's all. Hopefully we'll be able to figure this all out soon."

Sarah watched them walk away and swallowed hard. _Please, let them all just be the wrong people in the wrong place…_She eyed Katherine skeptically and shut the door behind the group.

***

Orion frowned as he tried to unravel the web of emails and memoranda. _Just tell me who the hell actually issued the change in route!_ He glanced at the surveillance feed of Fleming's home being piped through to him. _What the –_

**BLACK SUV MAKING SECOND CIRCUIT OF AREA,** he typed quickly.

**LICENSE PLATE?**

**NEVADA AKW 3634**, he replied. _Friend or foe?_

**REGISTERED TO MARK MITCHELL. NO IMMEDIATE HITS.**

_Damn it, Charles, I'm sorry._ Stephen squeezed his eyes shut and focused on the name.

_**An attic**_

_**A propeller plane**_

_**A Medal of Honor**_

_**A Canadian passport**_

Gasping and coughing, Orion struggled for air, tapping laboriously at the keyboard. **SLEPER CEL RING ROG POIS**

_Damn it! _**ORION. BREATHE. **He tapped into Orion's network, sending a purposeful short circuit to jolt Bartowski through the keyboard. _Damn it, other priorities. _He grabbed his cell phone. "Where are you?"

"Kind of busy right now, actually, outside Burbank. Why?"

"I'm going to need you in Goleta in ten minutes or as soon as you possibly can."

"_Why?"_ she growled, heart pounding. _Just tell me, because I know –_

"Orion is down and there's a rogue Ring agent, poison specialization, on the way to Fleming's."

"Damn it, _damn it, _I told George to be careful." She blew out a breath, narrowing her eyes at her companion. "Just taking care of some garbage, I'm on my way. Keep comms clear for me, I'll let you know when to get me the frequency."

Amanda stood, kicking Prescott's chair over angrily. "I've told everyone that now we know Charles is 2.0, he is _off limits._ Who the hell keeps sending teams for him?"

"Talk to your boss, Aero," he laughed bitterly. "You should know better than to expect _loyalty _in the Ring."

She stalked out the door, slamming it shut behind her. "We're done here," she spat at the security force. "Take them in."

***

**ORION.** He sent another jolt through the keyboard, hand hovering over the last keystroke to send emergency services.

**HERE.** Stephen wiped his nose and hauled himself into his chair. **I'M HERE.**

**GOOD. THERE'S SOMETHING YOU NEED TO KNOW.**

*******

Fleming led them to his office, moving the sofa to expose a recessed button. The safe pushed out from the bottom of the wall and lifted up to Fleming's hands.

"Nice tech," Casey smirked. "Lazy." _Soft. Just like a geek._ He looked to Chuck with a hard smile. _Not gonna let you be that nerd, Chuck. Can't._

Fleming frowned and entered his security code, opening the case and withdrawing a flash drive before sending it back into the wall. "Everything," he said quietly, dropping it into Chuck's hand.

Chuck moved to the laptop on Fleming's desk. _Much as I would love to use the wrist unit to transmit to Orion, we need his laptop anyway…_He booted up the computer quickly and checked the contents of the drive. "Looks like all the backups."

**Chirp.**

_Oh no. _Chuck jumped up from the desk, glancing urgently at Casey and Sarah before slamming out of the room. _This can't be good._ He rolled his sleeve back and glanced down at the display screen to the wrist unit.

**Company, 2 waves. Romulans in 2, Klingons in 10.**

_Oh, great…incoming._ Chuck sighed and threw the doors open. "Company in two minutes. Katherine, Professor, we need you somewhere interior and secure."

"Walk in closet, back of the first floor," Fleming quickly replied.

"Good, take her, go," Chuck said firmly. "_Go._" He turned to his team. "Casey, take the front, Sarah, take the rear, I'm with the assets." _You gotta trust me now, Sarah._ "Go."

They scattered, Sarah casting one glance behind her. _You promised,_ she thought determinedly. _You wouldn't lie to me._ She moved to her position at the back entrance, frowning. "Obstructed view, unknown."

Casey peeked out through the front windows. "Three," he intoned.

Chuck swallowed hard. _We can do this. Sarah can handle herself. _Licking his lips, he exhaled. "3…2…1…_mark_."

Casey and Sarah flung open their doors, firing efficiently at their assailants. Both ducked back in as Chuck regulated his breathing. _Do not freak out, Chuck. Do not freak out._ 2.0 scrolled probabilities faster than he could blink them away.

Sarah laid down cover fire, "I think I have three, at least," she whispered into her watch. She strafed the exterior again, hearing the return fire coming closer.

Amanda screeched to a stop in the driveway, slamming out of the car. She quickly tranq'd the four agents advancing on the back door. "Walker, secured!" she shouted. "Back up the colonel!"

_Oh my goodness_. Sarah nodded quickly and ran inside.

"Sarah?!" Chuck called out, watching her hurry pass.

"The rear is secured, Chuck, trust me!" she tossed over her shoulder. _And please don't hate me._

Chuck looked wide-eyed behind him, heart stopping in his chest as he looked at the approaching figure. _You have got to be kidding me…_

_**A ticket stub**_

_**A charm bracelet**_

_**An MRI**_

_**Test tubes**_

"Mom?" _Seriously? This whole time I could've just _flashed _on my _mom? Chuck glanced to the front door to see Casey and Sarah dragging bodies into the house.

"Hello, Chuck," she said with a small smile. "Long time no see?"

Chuck's brow furrowed as he and the Intersect struggled to process.

"What are you doing here," Sarah whispered furiously.

"I've lost my grip on them, they're still sending teams after 2.0. We've got to get George and go." She reloaded her tranq guns. "We've got to regroup – _all_ of us. Load it up, and back to the new Castle facilities – _I _built them."

"What the heck is going on?" Chuck looked from Sarah to his mother frantically, a migraine blooming mercilessly at the base of his skull.

"Up until just about when I shot my own men in the back, I was one of the Ring. We've got to get out of here, then I will explain all about Omaha –"

"_Wait._ Omaha?" Chuck looked at Sarah pleadingly. "Sarah…"

"Chuck, she didn't know who I was then. Everyone just knew me as Dr. Aero if they knew me at all. I'm guessing she only found out –"

"When I found your father, Chuck. And you have to admit it's been kind of a mess since then," Sarah whispered.

"I've got a headache," Chuck groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. _It's really only been how long since Ellie got married? _"I think I'm supposed to say it's good to see you?"

Amanda shook her head, reaching a hand out to squeeze one of his, hanging limply by his side. "I'm totally fine if you hate me, but we still need to get out of here." She reached behind him to open the closet door, rubbing Fleming's shoulder as he exited. "Hey, George."

"Damn it, Amanda, I'm sorry…I should've stopped Katherine, shouldn't I?" Fleming rubbed a hand over his head.

She shrugged, slinging an arm around Katherine's shoulder. "Where on Earth did you find that paper, Katherine?"

She shrugged sheepishly. "Um, in the old lab on the third floor? The one they turned into a supply closet? I, uh…"

Amanda held up a hand. _Probably doing exactly what Stephen and I were doing in there. _"I got it." She ushered them out the back door. "The good news – I came in from behind them, so they don't know it was me. Let's go figure out what's next."

***

**A.N.**: And here we are, at the hiatus. There will periodically be updates, I'm sure, as ideas and inspiration strike. Thank you for at least giving this a shot, and sorry to those I've disappointed. Believe me, there are so many quality writers out there, you certainly won't lack for Charah goodness…


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